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Duncan Robinson summed up Detroit’s mindset after a stunning rally, saying, “When backs are against the wall, I feel like we’re pretty comfortable there.”
The Detroit Pistons erased a 24-point deficit to beat the Orlando Magic 93-79 on Friday at Kia Center, forcing a decisive Game 7 in their first-round series.
Cade Cunningham led the comeback with 32 points and 10 rebounds, and Robinson made it clear his message to the All-Star guard never changed.
“Just trying to stay in his ear, encourage him,” Robinson said. “Encouraging him to be our best player, to be one of the best players in the world.”
The veteran shooter pointed to Cunningham’s composure as the turning point in the second half.
“I think just his tone and the way he settled us in that second half, whenever we needed a bucket, it felt like he got to his spot,” Robinson said.
Detroit trailed 60-38 at halftime and fell behind by 24 early in the third quarter, before flipping the game with a 35-5 run.
“There was a lot of encouragement,” Robinson said about the locker room. “Understanding that first off, what we’re trying to do is possible. We can come back and win this game.”
He described the team’s approach as incremental rather than rushed.
“Trying to win three minutes at a time… once we won those first three, it was just, let’s get the next three and the next,” Robinson said. “Three minutes is the most important.”
The Pistons’ defense fueled the turnaround, holding Orlando scoreless on 23 consecutive field goal attempts.
“The same way confidence can compound offensively, the same thing can happen defensively,” Robinson said. “You don’t want to be the one letting your brother down.”
Detroit finished with a 52-38 rebounding edge and limited the Magic to 35% shooting, including 5-of-28 from three-point range.
Robinson highlighted effort and collective identity as the core of the defensive surge.
“If the effort is there and you’re putting in the effort, which this team can obviously do… we have that collective spirit,” he said. “Once we gain confidence on that end, we can be pretty tough to score on.”
The comeback also featured a key contribution from Paul Reed, who added six points, six rebounds and three blocks in limited minutes.
“He was huge,” Robinson said. “I’ve never been around a teammate like P-Reed… whenever his number gets called, we have the utmost confidence in him.”
Detroit’s resilience stood out in a series defined by physical play and momentum swings.
“This group does the opposite, finds a way to come together,” Robinson said. “There’s a lot of pride in that locker room and not wanting to go out like that.”
With the series now tied, Robinson expects a decisive and physical finish.
“It’s going to be a war,” he said. “We’re super excited to get back and have a game seven on our home floor.”
He also emphasized that growth remains ongoing despite the playoff stage.
“We’re getting better… the teams that make runs in the playoffs get better throughout series as they advance,” Robinson said.
Game 7 will now determine whether Detroit’s response under pressure translates into a complete series turnaround.
