Pistons deliver with memorable comeback over Magic

Cade Cunningham (Google Images)

The Detroit Pistons came through with a win for the ages on Friday in a 93-79 win over the Orlando Magic in game six of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoff series. With the Pistons’s season on the line, Detroit dominated the second half by outscoring Orlando 45-19. The Pistons delivered a magical comeback as they were trailing Orlando 60-38 at the half and 62-38 after the first 90 seconds in the third quarter.

The 24 point comeback was the biggest comeback of the 2026 NBA Playoffs and the first time in the 2026 postseason that a team came back from a 20 point deficit to get the win. The fact that Detroit accomplished the feat in an elimination game with their season on the line was even more miraculous.

It was also the biggest comeback by the Pistons this season, and the third biggest comeback in the NBA (regular season and playoffs) this season. The New Orleans Pelicans were down 72-47 to the Houston Rockets (by 25 points) on December 18, 2025 before winning 133-128, and the San Antonio Spurs were down 75-50 (also by 25 points) to the Los Angeles Clippers on March 6, 2026 before winning 116-112. 

In Detroit’s game six win, the Magic only made four of 37 field goal attempts. It was the most inept offensive performance by one NBA team in one half in quite some time.

Three Pistons reached double digits in scoring. Point guard Cade Cunningham of Arlington, Texas had a double double (32 points and 10 rebounds). Power forward Tobias Harris of Islip, New York also had a double double (22 points and 10 rebounds), shooting guard Duncan Robinson of York, Maine had 14 points, while small forward Ausar Thompson of San Leandro, California tied for the Pistons lead in rebounds with 10.