Cunningham drops 45 as top-seeded Pistons beat Magic to stay alive in playoffs

Cade Cunningham delivered a sensational performance to keep Detroit’s NBA playoff hopes alive, leading the top-seeded Pistons to a 116-109 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The star guard poured in a playoff-record 45 points for Detroit, helping his team cut the series deficit to 3-2 in their best-of-seven first-round clash. Playing nearly 44 minutes despite recently recovering from a collapsed lung, Cunningham showed remarkable resilience in a must-win situation. After the game, he admitted the challenge ahead but remained confident, saying the team responds best when under pressure.

"We dug ourselves a big hole, it's going to be a tough one to climb out of, but we handled business tonight," said Cunningham, adding, "We're at our best when our backs are against the wall."



Detroit, which dominated the Eastern Conference during the regular season, had struggled early in the playoffs and now faces the daunting task of winning consecutive games to advance. They started this contest with urgency, fueled by a lively home crowd.

Jalen Duren set the tone early, scoring seven of Detroit’s first 11 points as the Pistons surged ahead. Strong rebounding also played a key role, with Detroit grabbing 17 boards in the opening quarter to build a double-digit lead.

Cunningham took over in the second quarter, erupting for 20 points and maintaining control of the game. However, Orlando stayed within striking distance, cutting the deficit to six points by halftime. Wendell Carter Jr. and Desmond Bane had chances to swing momentum early in the second half but missed key three-point attempts.

Detroit capitalized and extended their lead again heading into the fourth quarter. Still, Orlando refused to back down. Paolo Banchero led a late surge, scoring 45 points, including two crucial three-pointers that brought the Magic within three.

But Cunningham had the final say, knocking down a clutch three-pointer in the closing seconds to seal the victory.

Orlando will now look to close out the series at home in Game 6, while Detroit aim to force a decisive Game 7.