DETROIT — When elimination loomed large, Cade Cunningham delivered the performance of his career. The Detroit guard exploded for a franchise playoff-record 45 points Wednesday night, leading the top-seeded Pistons to a crucial 116-109 victory over the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
The victory keeps Detroit’s season alive, though they still face an uphill battle. Orlando maintains a 3-2 series lead and will have another opportunity to close out the series at home Friday night. Should the Pistons capture their first road victory of the series, a winner-take-all Game 7 would return to Detroit on Sunday.
“We dug ourselves a hole and now it’s time to climb our way out,” Cunningham said. “It’s possible.”
In a remarkable display of offensive firepower, Orlando’s Paolo Banchero matched Cunningham’s 45-point output, establishing a new playoff career high. However, Banchero’s struggles at the charity stripe proved costly, as he converted just 5 of 12 free throw attempts. His scoring effort fell just one point shy of the franchise playoff record held by Tracy McGrady and Dwight Howard.
The Magic’s poor execution in key areas ultimately cost them the game. Orlando was dominated on the boards by 16 rebounds and managed only 16 successful free throws on 30 attempts.
“We got to be better on the glass and obviously, better on the free-throw line,” said Banchero, drafted No. 1 overall by Orlando in 2022. “If we make our free throws, we got a real chance of winning the game. We lost by seven, and missed 14 free throws. That’s the game.”
Cunningham’s explosive performance shattered a Detroit playoff scoring record that had endured since Dave Bing’s 44-point game in 1968. The previous closest approach came from Isiah Thomas, who scored 43 points in 1988.
The dual 45-point performances created NBA playoff history, marking only the second time two players reached that scoring threshold in the same postseason game. The only previous occurrence featured Utah’s Donovan Mitchell (51 points) and Denver’s Jamal Murray (50 points) in 2020.
Cunningham’s efficiency was remarkable throughout the contest. The 2021 first overall pick connected on 13 of 23 field goal attempts, drained a playoff career-best five three-pointers, and maintained perfect accuracy from the free-throw line at 14-for-14.
“We’re going to see this a long time,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He’s going to do a lot of special things.”
The 24-year-old guard had previously struggled in crucial late-game moments during this series and last year’s first-round matchup with the New York Knicks. However, he demonstrated remarkable composure when his team needed it most to extend their playoff run.
Detroit controlled the game from start to finish, never surrendering the lead. The Pistons built advantages of 17 points during the first half and 15 points early in the fourth quarter.
Orlando mounted a late charge, pulling within three points on Banchero’s sixth three-pointer with 1:09 remaining on the clock.
Following an offensive rebound scramble by Ausar Thompson, Cunningham delivered the decisive blow with a step-back 16-foot jumper that effectively sealed the victory.
“Not everybody is blessed with those opportunities to have pressure and have things on the line like that,” Cunningham said. “I’m just thankful for it and trying to make the most out of it.
“We’ve had a great season so far and none of us want it to end.”
Detroit hopes to replicate their historic comeback against Orlando from over two decades ago. The Pistons’ 2003 rally from a 3-1 deficit against the eighth-seeded Magic marked the first of seven such comebacks in NBA playoff history this century. Denver accomplished the feat most recently six years ago in the same series featuring Mitchell and Murray’s 50-plus point performances, becoming the first franchise to complete two such comebacks in a single postseason.
“You don’t want to put yourself in this situation, but this is what we expected,” Bickerstaff said. “When our backs are against the wall, we come out swinging. We come out kicking. We come out scratching, biting, clawing.”
