Pistons avoid elimination vs. Magic behind Cade Cunningham's historic performance

As the Orlando Magic stormed back in the final six minutes, the Detroit Pistons couldn't get baskets from anyone but Cade Cunningham. So their All-Star guard did it himself.

Cunningham broke a 58-year-old team record by scoring 45 points in the Pistons' 116-109 win, which kept them alive down 3-2 in their first-round series. He was the only Piston to score down the stretch until two last-second free throws from Tobias Harris, and single-handedly saved Detroit's season.

Cade Cunningham took over the Pistons offense late

Down 3-1 to a No. 8 seed, Cunningham found a way to win in the fourth quarter. He started the final period as a passer, racking up four of his six assists in the first half of the quarter. But as the clock ran down and the Magic clawed back from a double-digit deficit, the other Pistons couldn't make a shot.

Cunningham got fouled twice and made all four free throws, part of a perfect 14-for-14 night from the line. The Magic kept coming, sinking four three-pointers and forcing five turnovers in the last seven minutes, but Cunningham did just enough to hold them off.

Up six points, Cunningham sank a fadeaway with 2:04 left. After he passed to two open teammates who missed jumpers and the Magic turned two offensive rebounds into five points, Cunningham hit another fadeaway to stretch the lead to five points, and after Wendell Carter's illegal screen, the Pistons had escaped to see a Game 6.