Carter hits two free throws out of the timeout, but Robinson gets an open look at three and drills it to make it a 20-point lead yet again. Black gets fouled after a turnover and he also goes 1-for-2 from the line as the Magic continue to fight, but Harris finds Duren for a jam. Orlando calls for timeout with 1:33 left and the Pistons are up by 18 points.
Cunningham checks out as Duren hits two free throws after getting fouled, then the rest of the starters do as well when Jenkins heads to the free throw line. The clock winds down as the Pistons complete the 3-1 series comeback and move on to the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Tuesday.
The Magic dare Thompson to shoot, but he drives into the space and finishes with a crafty layup. Cunningham heads to the free-throw line after a foul by Banchero and gets MVP chants as he makes both. Carter hits a three and Black hits a layup from a turnover, then another turnover leads to Banchero driving inside for a layup and J.B. Bickerstaff doesn’t like the sloppy play and calls a timeout with 4:22 remaining.
It’s a 14-point lead now for the Pistons after that 7-0 run from the Magic, but it finally ends as Cunningham lobs it off the inbounds to Duren for the layup. Another miss from the Magic leads to Bane fouling Cunningham, then Jenkins finds Harris in the corner for another three! 3:23 left as the Pistons are minutes away from a Game 7 victory.
Magic continue to fight as Bane drives in and hits the layup plus the foul, but he misses the free throw and the Pistons fight for the board. Cunningham answers with a layup of his own, but Bane continues to be aggressive by drawing another foul. He goes 1-for-2 from the line, as Harris checks back in and extends the lead with another 3-pointer. Carter is fouled by Duren on a layup attempt, as he also goes 1-for-2 from the line, then the Magic force two straight turnovers and turn them into fastbreak points as the Pistons call timeout with 7:32 left.
Suggs tries to get the Magic going with a floater to begin the fourth quarter, but Cunningham drives inside and hits a contested layup, then Green gets open for a corner 3-pointer as the Pistons now lead by 22. Duren swats away a dunk from Suggs, but is called for the foul as Suggs hits both free throws. Green can’t hit another three, but the Pistons get the offensive rebound and Cunningham finds Jenkins in the corner for a 3-pointer and Little Caesars Arena explodes! It’s a 23-point lead with 9:19 left in the fourth as the Magic call for time.
Pistons pull off a nice play out of the timeout, getting Jenkins open for a pull-up jumper and he hits it. Cunningham follows it up with a pullup jumper of his own, then Thompson breaks up a lob attempt, leading to a shot-clock violation. Cunningham wastes no time on the other end, coming off the screen and hitting a three as the lead is yet again up to 20 points.
Isaiah Stewart is called for a 3-second violation but Banchero misses the free throw, but he rebounds by banking in a jumper over Green then drawing a foul on Cunningham after a turnover. The Pistons defense holds by forcing another shot-clock violation, leading to Harris hitting a turnaround jumper.
Banchero is fouled by Robinson and hits both free throws, then Wagner is fouled off the ball with five seconds left. Jenkins pulls up from three with time expiring and hits it! A buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third and the Pistons take a 19-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Defense continues to be the focus of the Pistons today, as Cunningham blocks a Suggs layup, then Harris hits another corner triple. Suggs misses an open 3-pointer, leading to Cunningham hitting a floater and now the Pistons take a 20-point lead. It takes two offensive rebounds but Banchero ends the scoring drought for Orlando with a bucket.
Bane flies in and hits a floater, then a steal on Harris leads to Banchero drawing a shooting foul on Harris. Banchero goes 1-for-2 from the line, but the Pistons are called for an eight-second violation, which leads to another floater from Banchero as the Pistons call timeout with 4:52 left in the third, the lead cut to 13 points.
Pistons start the second half strong, as Duren finds Cunningham inside for the layup, then Robinson gets the steal and a rare slam! Carter quiets the crowd a little with a jumper, but Harris gets a steal on Banchero, who then fouls Cunningham for his third.
Magic continue to miss in the third quarter, as Cunningham drives inside and slams down a one-handed dunk and that forces a Magic timeout with 8:13 left.
The Pistons and Magic were gridlocked for most of the first half, then Detroit pulled out a 20-6 run in the final four minutes to take an 11-point halftime lead. There’s already been 12 lead changes and seven ties through the first half, which makes Detroit’s run even more impressive.
Tobias Harris leads the Pistons in scoring so far, as 17 of his 19 points came in that second quarter, including him scoring 11 straight for Detroit. Cade Cunningham has 15 for the Pistons, as all of his made shots have come from deep but he is 6-of-8 from the free throw line.
Paolo Banchero has more points in this first half then he did in all of Game 6, leading all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting and going 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He’s the only Magic scorer in double figures as five of Orlando’s players have two or more fouls, with Desmond Bane getting called for three in the first half.
Paul Reed checks in for the first time today, as he’s called for the foul on Black. J.B. Bickerstaff challenges the call, but it stands after review as Black makes both free throws. Cain makes a 3-pointer to give Orlando the lead again, then Harris draws a foul on Bane as that’s Bane’s third as Harris makes both.
Bane stays in the game and hits a three, then the Pistons find Jenkins open off the offensive rebound and he hits a 3-pointer to answer. Cunningham and Banchero continue their battle, as Cunningham hits two free throws then Banchero answers with a fadeaway shot. Harris hits a 3-pointer, then after a Magic turnover, he drives and hits the layup plus the foul!
Harris hits the free throw as the Pistons take their largest lead of six points. Wendell Carter Jr. is fouled late in the shot clock by Duren as he hits both free throws, but Harris hits a jumper, then a 3-pointer in the corner to extend the lead as he’s scored 11 straight points for Detroit. Pistons get another defensive stop, leading to a Robinson floater as the lead balloons to 11.
Banchero hits a layup to finally end the Harris scoring run, but Duren draws a foul with 0.5 left in the first half and he hits both free throws, with Suggs getting hit by Cunningham on a last-second heave. Suggs limps off and there’s no foul as the Pistons enter halftime with an 11-point lead.
Cunningham draws the shooting foul on Jalen Suggs, but he goes 1-for-2 from the free throw line. Magic miss another shot as Thompson slams it down over a defender. Cunningham drills a stepback 3-pointer, then Thompson get a steal and a dunk. Cunningham draws another foul as the first free throw rolls out, but he hits the second.
Harris hits a floater to give Detroit a four-point lead, but Bane hits a quick 3-pointer in transition, then Banchero hits a fadeaway over Cunningham as the Magic again take a slim lead. Banchero continues to stay hot, as he drills a pull-up three as Cain is fouled on the shot but he misses the free throw. Harris hits a baseline floater, then a Banchero turnover leads to a Duren dunk and we’re tied again at 35-35. Another Magic turnover leads to Cunningham stepping back and hitting another three, and the Magic need a timeout.
Cunningham makes both free throws after the timeout, then both teams trade turnovers before Anthony Black skies in for the alley-oop dunk. Both teams trade misses and Robinson’s half-court heave is too strong as the first quarter ends.
Suggs scores a basket out of the timeout, but Thompson drives inside and hits the layup, plus the foul. It’s Bane’s first foul as Thompson misses the free throw, but the Pistons on the fastbreak after a miss and Harris slams it down! Duren works the offensive glass after another Magic miss and gets fouled, but splits his free throws.
On the other end, Bane drives and gets fouled by Javonte Green, hitting both free throws to tie the game at 15-15. Daniss Jenkins gets open and hits the three, but Cain answers back with a jumper, then Moritz Wagner hits his first basket of the series with a corner-3. Cunningham is fouled as the Magic call their first timeout with 2:33 left.
Orlando wins the opening tipoff as Jamal Cain’s layup rolls off the rim, then Ausar Thompson stuffs Paolo Banchero at the rim, as Banchero then fouls Tobias Harris in transition. On the other end, Cade Cunningham’s first shot is missed but Jalen Duren is there for the putback.
The Magic start 0-for-4 from the field as Banchero hits the three for their first points, but Cunningham answers with a three of his own. After another made bucket from Banchero, Thompson gets the steal then finds Duncan Robinson in the corner for a 3-pointer. Detroit’s defensive start continues as Cunningham blocks Desmond Bane at the rim, then lobs it up to Duren for the jam.
Banchero hits back-to-back threes, as he has all 11 points for the Magic so far and is 3-for-3 from long range. The Pistons call their first timeout with 6:17 left in this opening quarter.
Lineups are the same from Game 6, as Magic forward Franz Wagner is still out with a calf injury.
Preview
A series that’s been physical and back-and-forth throughout gets its finale, as the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic meet in a win-or-go-home Game 7 on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena.
After overcoming a 24-point third-quarter deficit to win Game 6 in Orlando, the Pistons look to be the second team in these playoffs alone to complete a 3-1 series comeback. Of course, multiple factors were in place for that Game 6 comeback to happen, but anything can and will happen in a Game 7.
A victory today would be the first playoff series win for the franchise since 2008, and they would move on to the second round of the Eastern Conference bracket. However, losing today would make them the seventh No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 8 seed in the playoffs, and give them the unfortunate distinction of being the first to lose in a Game 7.
Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Kameron Goodwill.
NBA Playoffs, first round: No. 8 Magic vs. No. 1 Pistons
Magic lead series, 3-2
Game 1: Magic 112, Pistons 101
Game 2: Pistons 97, Magic 83
Game 3: Magic 113, Pistons 105
Game 4: Magic 94, Pistons 88
Game 5: Pistons 116, Magic 109
Game 6: Pistons 93, Magic 79
Game 7: at Detroit, Sunday, 3:30 p.m. (TBD)
