An extraordinary Cade Cunningham keeps Detroit Pistons alive against Orlando Magic

The Detroit Pistons cling to the series after beating the Orlando Magic 116-109 in a fifth game marked by a spectacular offensive duel between two of the league's young stars: Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero.

Tension took over the Little Caesars Arena towards the end, when Banchero hit a three-pointer to narrow the lead to just three points with a little over a minute left. Detroit, which had a 15-point advantage in the last quarter, saw their season in jeopardy against Orlando's player push, who scored 45 points.

However, Cunningham responded at the decisive moment. With 32 seconds left, he attacked the right side, stopped abruptly against Desmond Bane's defense, and scored a fadeaway from mid-range that practically sealed the game. The guard also finished with 45 points, setting a new franchise playoff record and securing the victory that keeps the Pistons alive.

The game will go down as one of the great individual duels in recent playoff history. Cunningham and Banchero became the second pair of players to each score at least 45 points in the same playoff game, following Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray's feat in 2020.

Cunningham thus surpassed Dave Bing's historic record of 44 points in 1968 as the highest scoring Detroit player in playoffs. His performance was crucial from the second quarter, where he scored 20 points and set the pace of the game. Moreover, he was flawless from the free-throw line with a perfect 14 of 14.

The absence of Franz Wagner, out with a right calf injury, influenced the game's development. Without their main defender, Cunningham found more space and comfort to generate his game, contrasting with the first four games of the series where he had struggled against the German small forward's defense.

For Orlando, Banchero took on all the offensive responsibility. He shot 17 for 31 from the field, with six three-pointers, and scored 18 points in the final quarter to try and complete the comeback. However, issues from the free-throw line—with 14 team misses—eventually took their toll.

Detroit Pistons, finally at a good level

Beyond the two standout individual performances, Detroit showed a version closer to what allowed them to dominate the regular season. Players like Ausar Thompson (15 rebounds and five steals), Jalen Duren (12 points and nine rebounds), and Tobias Harris (23 points and eight rebounds) contributed at key moments.

Coach J. B. Bickerstaff praised his team's competitive attitude, highlighting aggression and collective effort as fundamental elements to stay in the series. With this triumph, the Pistons will travel to Orlando with the intention of forcing a seventh game and extending their season.

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