History shows Magic's Game 1 win might not be significant

It's the second strong game for the Magic after they torched the Charlotte Hornets in the final play-in game Friday. The Magic's two games last week didn't give them as much rest as the Pistons' full week off, but perhaps the time off left the Pistons rusty in their playoff opener.

Game 2 is crucial for the Detroit Pistons

Normally, the Pistons would be a huge favorite in Game 2, on Wednesday. They have the best record in the Eastern Conference, All-NBA guard Cade Cunningham (39 points Sunday) and home-court advantage. But the Pistons haven't won a playoff game at home since May 2008, a streak of 11 straight losses in front of their home fans.

Granted, the Pistons are 2-19 overall, so they aren't all that much better away from home. Their two road wins came last season in New York while the Pistons dropped all three games in Detroit.

It's not uncommon for an underdog to steal the first game of a series in the NBA, especially against a relatively inexperienced team like the Pistons. Orlando won Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors in 2019, and Toronto went on to win the title. The Magic beat the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 in 2020, then lost the next four games by an average of 14.5 points.

The Magic even got a win against the top-seeded Boston Celtics last playoffs, when Wagner and Banchero combined for 61 points in Game 3. Orlando should be proud of Sunday's effort but there's a reason the Pistons won 15 more games than them this season.

So the Pistons have no reason to panic. Unless they lose Game 2 at home as well. That could be a worry after Sunday's sluggish performance, but based on Orlando's playoff history, it's very possible that Sunday will end up a footnote in the Pistons' eventual "gentleman's sweep."