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.
The WNBA’s Game 7 drew a record 3.3 million viewers.
The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68–63 to win their first WNBA championship. An average of 3.3 million viewers tuned in, making the league’s first Finals Game 7 its most-watched playoff game ever.
🏆🏀 THE FUTURE IS PURPLE & GOLD! 💜💛
Somebody better make room in the trophy case because the GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES ARE CHAMPIONS! 👑🔥 From the first tip-off to the final buzzer, these ladies showed heart, hustle, determination, and what it means to play like champions! The talent is undeniable, the energy is unmatched, and women’s basketball continues to TAKE OVER! 💪🏽🏀 Congratulations…
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