Cade Cunningham's 45-Point Playoff Record Keeps Pistons Alive, Forces Game 6 Against Magic

Key facts

• Cade Cunningham scored 45 points, a Pistons single-game playoff record, surpassing Dave Bing's 1968 mark.
• Paolo Banchero also scored 45 points for Orlando, matching Cunningham but missing 7 of 12 free throws.
• Detroit never trailed and led by 17 in the second quarter; Orlando cut the lead to two early in the third.
• Cunningham shot 13-of-23 from the field, 5-of-8 on three-pointers, and 14-of-14 from the free-throw line.
• Tobias Harris added 23 points and eight rebounds for Detroit; Jalen Duren and Duncan Robinson each scored 12.
• Anthony Black scored a playoff career-high 19 points off the bench for Orlando; Desmond Bane had 18.
• Magic forward Franz Wagner missed Game 5 with a strained right calf; he averaged nearly 17 points in the first four games.
• Orlando fell to 0-10 all-time on the road in a Game 5.

Historic Duel in Detroit

Cade Cunningham delivered a performance for the ages on Wednesday night, scoring a franchise playoff-record 45 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 116-109 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of their first-round series. The win staved off elimination for the top-seeded Pistons, who now trail the series 3-2 and will travel to Orlando for Game 6 on Friday. Cunningham's 45 points surpassed the previous Pistons playoff record set by Dave Bing in 1968. He shot 13 of 23 from the field, made a playoff career-high five three-pointers, and was perfect from the free-throw line, going 14 of 14. His step-back jumper with 32 seconds left sealed the win after Orlando had pulled within three points.

Banchero Matches Cunningham but Free Throws Haunt Magic

Paolo Banchero matched Cunningham with 45 points of his own, a playoff career high, but his struggles at the free-throw line proved costly. Banchero missed 7 of 12 free throws, part of a team-wide 16-of-30 performance from the stripe that left points off the board. He scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a contested three-pointer with 1:09 left that cut Detroit's lead to three, but the Magic could not complete the comeback. Orlando's Anthony Black scored a playoff career-high 19 points off the bench, and Desmond Bane added 18. Jalen Suggs contributed 10 points. The Magic shot just 16-of-30 from the free-throw line, a glaring weakness in a game decided by seven points.

Pistons' Early Surge and Cunningham's Dominant Half

Detroit came out with urgency, never trailing and building a 17-point lead in the second quarter. Cunningham scored 27 points in the first half, the highest-scoring postseason half by a Pistons player in the play-by-play era, with 20 of those coming in the second quarter alone. The Pistons put up 66 points in the first half, their best offensive output of the series. Orlando ended the half on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to six, and then pulled within two points early in the third quarter. But Cunningham responded with 10 points in the third, and a late three-pointer helped Detroit take an 89-79 lead into the fourth. The Pistons shot just shy of 50% from the field and out-rebounded the Magic by 16.

Historical Context: Comeback from 3-1 Deficit

The Pistons are hoping to replicate a feat they achieved more than two decades ago. In 2003, as a No. 1 seed, Detroit overcame a 3-1 deficit against the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic, becoming the first of seven NBA teams this century to rally from such a hole. The Denver Nuggets were the last to do it, in 2020, when they became the first franchise to accomplish the feat twice in one postseason. Only 13 teams in NBA playoff history have overcome a 3-1 deficit. The Pistons now need to win Game 6 on Friday in Orlando to force a decisive Game 7 back in Detroit.

Magic's Road Woes and Wagner's Absence

Orlando's loss extended a painful streak: the franchise is now 0-10 all-time on the road in Game 5s. The Magic also played without forward Franz Wagner, who was sidelined with a strained right calf. Wagner had 19 points in two-plus quarters before leaving late in the third quarter of Game 4 on Monday, and averaged nearly 17 points and 5.5 rebounds over the first four games of the series. His absence was felt on both ends of the floor. Despite the loss, the Magic still hold a 3-2 series lead and will have a second chance to close out the series on their home court. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday night in Orlando.

What Comes Next: Game 6 in Orlando

The Pistons will travel to Florida for Game 6 on Friday, needing a win to force a Game 7 on Sunday in Detroit. The series has been a battle of former No. 1 overall picks, with Cunningham and Banchero trading historic performances. Cunningham's 45-point outing set a new standard for Pistons playoff scoring, while Banchero's 45 points came just shy of Orlando's single-game playoff record. Detroit's supporting cast stepped up in Game 5: Tobias Harris had 23 points and eight rebounds, and both Jalen Duren and Duncan Robinson scored 12 points. The Pistons will need similar contributions to keep their season alive. For Orlando, the focus will be on free-throw shooting and containing Cunningham, who has been unstoppable in elimination situations.

A Series Defined by High-Stakes Individual Brilliance

The first-round matchup between the top-seeded Pistons and the eighth-seeded Magic has become a showcase for two of the NBA's brightest young stars. Cunningham and Banchero have each delivered career-defining performances, with Game 5 producing the highest-scoring duel of the series. The outcome now hinges on which team can better support its star. Detroit's comeback bid is historically improbable but not unprecedented. The Pistons have the talent and the momentum after a dominant Game 5 performance. Orlando, meanwhile, must regroup and close out on home court to avoid the pressure of a Game 7. The stage is set for a dramatic conclusion to a series that has already produced memorable moments.

The bottom line

• Cade Cunningham set a Pistons playoff record with 45 points, including a perfect 14-of-14 from the free-throw line.
• Paolo Banchero matched Cunningham with 45 points but missed 7 of 12 free throws, contributing to Orlando's 16-of-30 team performance.
• Detroit never trailed and built a 17-point lead, but Orlando cut the deficit to three in the fourth quarter before Cunningham's step-back jumper sealed the win.
• The Pistons forced Game 6 in Orlando on Friday, needing to overcome a 3-1 series deficit—a feat accomplished by only 13 teams in NBA history.
• Orlando played without Franz Wagner (strained right calf), who averaged nearly 17 points in the first four games.
• The Magic fell to 0-10 all-time on the road in Game 5, a streak that now includes their loss in Detroit.