DETROIT — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 12 assists, Tobias Harris added 30 points, and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 116-94 in Game 7 on Sunday to win a playoff series for the first time in 18 years.
Cunningham averaged 32.4 points for Detroit, which last won a postseason series by beating Orlando in the second round in 2008. The Pistons advance to play the winner of Sunday evening’s Game 7 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. Game 1 will be Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena.
The Pistons became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit and the second in the past two nights, after the Philadelphia 76ers came back to eliminate Boston.
Detroit trailed by 24 points in Game 6 in Orlando before rallying to take the series at home. Orlando scored only 113 points in the final six quarters of the series — an average of 18.8 per period.
Cunningham and Harris became the first Pistons teammates to score 30 points in a playoff game since Bob Lanier (33) and Howard Porter (30) against the Golden State Warriors on April 17, 1977.
Paolo Banchero scored 38 for the Magic.
Each team needed a second scoring option in Game 7. Cunningham had carried the Pistons, and Banchero was Orlando’s only weapon after Franz Wagner was injured in Game 4.
Harris filled that role for Detroit, but Orlando had only one other player reach double figures in the first three quarters, as Desmond Bane had 10 points.
The Pistons also got a big game from All-Star center Jalen Duren. He was outplayed by Wendell Carter Jr. in the first six games but put up his first double-double of the series with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Harris scored 17 points in the second quarter as the Pistons finished the half on a 9-2 run to take a 60-49 lead.
The Pistons’ surge continued into the second half, as they opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run to go up 71-51. Nine of the points came from Cunningham and Harris.
The Magic finished the third quarter with 15 points — the third time in their past five periods they couldn’t reach 20 points.
Daniss Jenkins hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Detroit an 83-64 lead going into the fourth, and the Magic never threatened down the stretch.
LeBron James Is Leaving the Lakers: The End of an Era and What’s Next for The King?
The NBA world woke up to one of the biggest stories of the offseason: LeBron James is officially leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. After eight seasons in purple and gold, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has informed the Lakers that he’ll continue his legendary career with another franchise for the 2026-27 season. The move closes…
The New York Knicks Are Champions — And New York Is Ready to Celebrate
After 53 years of waiting, the New York Knicks are NBA Champions. Fans across New York City are celebrating as the team prepares for a historic championship parade through Manhattan, marking one of the greatest moments in franchise history.
2026 NBA mock draft: Risers, fallers ahead of the May 10 lottery
The 2026 NBA draft picture has come into focus, with the early-entry deadline passed on Friday, and the lottery less than two weeks away. Between the unusual amount of high-impact talent atop the board and the number of teams with quite a bit riding on this year’s ping-pong balls, this draft continues to shape up as one of the more potentially…





Leave a comment