The Detroit Pistons have finally broken their playoff series drought, defeating the Orlando Magic 116-94 in Game 7 on Monday to secure their first postseason series victory in 18 years.
Cunningham and Harris Lead the Charge
Cade Cunningham delivered an outstanding performance with 32 points and 12 assists, while Tobias Harris added 30 points as the Pistons overcame a 3-1 series deficit to advance. Detroit became the 15th team in NBA history to erase such a deficit and the second in as many nights after Philadelphia's comeback against Boston.
Cunningham averaged 32.4 points in the series. The Pistons' last playoff triumph came against Orlando in the second round of the 2008 playoffs.
"We were pushed to the limit," Cunningham told the Associated Press. "And it made us really reflect on how we were playing, what got us to this position and what made us win as many games as we won in the regular season. And it got us back to playing the basketball that we knew we were capable of."
Historic Duo Performance
Cunningham and Harris became the first Pistons duo to each score 30 or more in a playoff game since Bob Lanier (33) and Howard Porter (30) did it in 1977.
Detroit also received a strong performance from All-Star center Jalen Duren, who recorded his first double-double of the series with 15 points and 15 rebounds after being outplayed by Wendell Carter Jr. in the previous six games.
Magic Struggle Without Wagner
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 38 points, but the Magic lacked consistent support. With Franz Wagner sidelined since Game 4, Orlando struggled to find a reliable second scorer. Desmond Bane was the only other Magic player to reach double figures in the first three quarters with 10 points.
Harris erupted for 17 points in the second quarter, and Detroit closed the half on a 9-2 run to lead 60-49. The Pistons kept rolling after halftime, opening the third quarter with an 11-2 burst — nine of those points from Cunningham and Harris — to go up 71-51. Orlando managed just 15 points in the third quarter, the third time in five periods they failed to reach 20. Daniss Jenkins beat the third-quarter buzzer with a three-pointer to make it 83-64, and the Magic never threatened in the final frame.
Pistons Advance to Face Cavaliers
Detroit will now host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 1 is set for Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena. The Cavaliers advanced by defeating the Toronto Raptors 114-102 in their own Game 7.
In that game, Jarrett Allen tied his playoff career high with 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 22 points, and James Harden added 18 in a series where the home team won all seven games. The Central Division rivals split their four regular-season meetings.
Scottie Barnes finished with 24 points and nine rebounds for Toronto, while RJ Barrett scored 23 as the Raptors returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Allen had 14 points and 10 rebounds — five on the offensive glass — during a decisive 49-21 run spanning the second and third quarters that turned a nine-point deficit into a 19-point lead.
