After an embarrassing Game 1 showing in which they trailed wire-to-wire, the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons asserted themselves in the second half of Wednesday’s Game 2 home clash against the Orlando Magic.
Cade Cunningham and Co.’s 98-83 statement win to even up the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series at 1-1 left the NBA world walking back its initial overreactions.
Pistons Dominate Magic in 3rd Quarter of Game 2
Sunday’s 112-101 Game 1 home loss was characterized by Detroit looking outmatched by Orlando’s shot creation, with Cunningham receiving little help to supplement his playoff career-high 39-point performance. Meanwhile, the Magic matched their trademark physicality and won the rebounding battle.
However, on Wednesday, the 60-win Pistons reminded everyone how they dominated in the regular season on the back of their second-ranked defense (108.9 defensive rating). They pulled away behind a monstrous 30-3 third-quarter run to put Orlando away in emphatic fashion.
After winning the third quarter 38-16, Detroit went on to hold the Magic to a season-low 83 points on meager 26-for-80 shooting (32.5%), limiting their leading scorers, Jalen Suggs (19 points) and Paolo Banchero (18 points), to a combined 14-for-35 from the field (40%).
Conversely, after having just two players score in double figures in Game 1, the Pistons had six do so in Game 2, led by Cunningham’s game-high 27 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 11 assists.
30-3 3Q RUN BY DETROIT.
The score was tied at halftime (46-46).
Then, the Pistons went into takeover mode 😳T. Harris: 6 PTS, 3-6 FGM
J. Duren: 6 PTS, 2-3 FGM
D. Robinson: 6 PTS, 2-3 FGM
I. Stewart: 6 PTS, 2-2 FGM
Au. Thompson: 5 PTS, 2-2 FGM
C. Cunningham: 5 PTS, 2-2 FGM pic.twitter.com/e5fweqKMfu— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2026
Following Detroit’s second-half surge, many across the NBA landscape were quickly won back over.
“Now THIS is the Magic-Pistons game I was expecting. Ugly, hard-nosed, smash-mouth basketball,” The Athletic’s Esfandiar Baraheni reacted, adding that the “Magic are the ones who look like the Pistons from G1.”
Now THIS is the Magic-Pistons game I was expecting.
Ugly, hard-nosed, smash-mouth basketball
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) April 23, 2026
“Now THESE are the Pistons we are used to seeing. Just took six quarters to begin the playoffs for them to figure it out,” ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel asserted.
Now THESE are the Pistons we are used to seeing. Just took six quarters to begin the playoffs for them to figure it out.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) April 23, 2026
Meanwhile, others quipped about Orlando being a pretender and resorting to the dysfunction that defined its underachieving 45-win season.
“The Magic remembering they hate each other,” NBA personality Daman Rangoola joked.
The Magic remembering they hate each other pic.twitter.com/lwNv0T7B87
— Daman Rangoola (@damanr) April 23, 2026
“This Detroit-Orlando series feels like every other Orlando series when they were a low seed, stole an early game, and then dipped out soon after,” Mile High Sports’ Ryan Blackburn pointed out.
This Detroit-Orlando series feels like every other Orlando series when they were a low seed, stole an early game, and then dipped out soon after.
— Ryan Blackburn (@NBABlackburn) April 23, 2026
“Orlando Magic just edged us, Game 1 was a fluke,” content creator Ahmed/The Ears claimed.
Orlando Magic just edged us, game 1 was a fluke pic.twitter.com/h8m5NqnDbv
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) April 23, 2026
With their resounding victory, the Pistons ended the longest home losing streak in NBA playoff history (11 games), which dated back to 2008. Still, the top-seeded squad surely has much bigger postseason goals as it shifts its focus to Saturday’s pivotal Game 3 showdown in Orlando.
