On Friday, the Orlando Magic had an opportunity to achieve a significant upset against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons at their home venue.
However, they experienced a memorable second-half downfall, squandering a 24-point advantage in a 93-79 defeat to Detroit, meaning Game 7 will now be held in Detroit on Sunday.
Yet, that wasn’t the complete story.
During the second half, the Magic’s shooting became abysmal, failing on 23 straight field-goal attempts and managing just one successful shot out of 20 tries in the final period. Orlando managed only 19 points in the second half on 4-of-37 shooting, setting an NBA playoff record for the fewest points in any half, as reported by ESPN, illustrating Detroit’s complete turnaround.
As their season hung in the balance, Cade Cunningham’s performance surged. The Pistons’ guard contributed 19 points after halftime, concluding the game with 32 points and 10 rebounds.
Orlando competed without Franz Wagner, who was absent for his second consecutive match due to a calf strain. Nevertheless, his absence alone doesn’t account for Orlando’s utter failure to make a single basket in the fourth quarter.
Both teams maintained a tight contest during the opening quarter, exhibiting robust defensive efforts. Yet, in the second quarter, the Magic initiated a significant offensive surge, establishing a double-digit lead and energizing the Orlando spectators. This advantage continued to expand as halftime approached, with the Magic entering the locker room with a 22-point lead.
While Orlando performed admirably in the first half, Detroit re-entered the game appearing like an entirely transformed squad. A similar observation could be made about the Magic’s subsequent play.
Orlando’s offensive output diminished considerably in the third quarter, yet their defensive tenacity persisted, stifling Detroit’s efforts to rally – at least for a portion of the period. However, a 16-2 scoring spree by Detroit abruptly reduced the deficit leading into the final quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Cunningham reduced the point difference to five. Shortly thereafter, two free throws and a steal followed by a score by Cunningham brought the Pistons level at 72 points apiece.
Concurrently, the Magic struggled immensely to score, with Paolo Banchero, who ended with 17 points on 4-of-20 shooting, finally making their sole field goal of the fourth quarter via a dunk with 2:24 left on the clock.
This allowed the Pistons to extend their advantage further, as they inflated their lead into double digits in the concluding minutes, completely spoiling the event in Orlando. In total, Detroit surpassed the Magic’s scoring 31-8 in the fourth period and 55-19 in the latter half of the game.
According to the NBA, the Pistons’ rally marked the most significant by an away team facing elimination in four decades. Consequently, a decisive Game 7 will take place in Detroit this Sunday.
