The Detroit Pistons dethroned the Orlando Magic 116-94 to complete a comeback from a 3-1 deficit during the Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 32 points, along with Tobias Harris with 30, Dannis Jenkins 16, and Jalen Duren added 15 to secure their first playoff series win since 2008.
The Pistons advance to the second round of the playoffs and avoid the history of becoming the seventh NBA team to lose a first-round series as the No.1 seed to a No.8 seed.
On the other hand, Paolo Banchero tallied 38 points, nine rebounds, and six assists for the Magic, but not enough to contain.
Meanwhile, Franz Wagner missed Game 7 after suffering from a calf injury that resulted in a lack of help to the Magic.
Banchero scored the Magic’s first 11 points, and Orlando emerged from a tight first quarter with a two-point lead.
The back-and-forth action continued early in the second, Detroit finally creating some separation behind a 17-point second-quarter outburst from Harris.
The Pistons led 60-49 at halftime and pushed their lead to as many as 25, taking full advantage of 16 Magic turnovers that made it to 19 points edge.
Detroit had already fended off elimination with victories in Games 5 and 6 against the Magic to erase a 24-point deficit on Friday to force Sunday’s decider.
With advancing to the next round, the Pistons look forward to Game 1 in Cleveland on Tuesday.
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