Pistons force Game 7 with historic comeback vs. Magic

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham. Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Pistons force Game 7 with historic comeback vs. Magic

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated May 1, 2026 10:21 PM ET

Just when it seemed as if the Detroit Pistons' season was about to be over, they mounted an epic comeback for the ages.

To avoid suffering a first-round upset, the Eastern Conference's top seed stormed back from a 24-point deficit at halftime to beat the Orlando Magic 93-79 and send the series to a Game 7.

Detroit led 26-25 after one quarter of play, but they would not regain the lead until the final minutes of the fourth.

The Pistons fell all the way down to a 60-38 score in favor of the Magic at the half. However, the game was far from over as Detroit made NBA playoff history in the process.

Pistons made NBA history with an epic comeback to force Game 7

Detroit's win set a new standard as the largest road comeback in a postseason elimination game in NBA playoff history.

Detroit outscored Orlando 55-19 in the second half, highlighted by a 34-4 run that would eventually propel the Pistons to their first lead since the end of the first quarter in the final minutes of the game.

A HISTORIC COMEBACK FOR DETROIT TO FORCE GAME 7

TRAILED BY 24 IN Q3.
CLOSED THE GAME ON A 55-17 RUN.

LARGEST ROAD COMEBACK IN A POSTSEASON ELIMINATION GAME IN THE PLAY-BY-PLAY ERA! pic.twitter.com/rk6vThMd8W
— NBA (@NBA) May 2, 2026

Cade Cunningham refused to let the Pistons give up

Making it all happen, Cade Cunningham put up 32 points in 42 minutes. He hit 10-of-23 shots from the field with a couple of threes mixed in as well. Cunningham also completed a double-double, adding 10 rebounds with three assists, four steals and a block.

Tobias Harris recorded a double-double of his own with 22 points and 10 boards. Duncan Robinson scored 14, Jalen Duren had eight points and Ausar Thompson gave Detroit three different players with 10 rebounds on the night.

And now Detroit, which once trailed 3-1 in the series, has new life and all the momentum as it heads back home for a winner-take-all series-deciding game on Sunday. A win in Game 7 and the Pistons can put their early-series issues behind them and get the franchise into the second round for the first time since their last Eastern Conference Finals run in 2008.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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