The NBA features two Game 7 matchups on May 3: the Detroit Pistons face the Orlando Magic, and the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Toronto Raptors. The Magic, who led their series 3-1, are under pressure after losing two consecutive games, including a poor performance in Game 6.
Key points
NBA Game 7 on May 3 features Pistons vs. Magic and Cavaliers vs. Raptors
Orlando Magic had a 3-1 series lead but lost two straight games
Magic's Game 6 performance included shooting 4-of-37 in the second half
Teams elevate their play in win-or-go-home scenarios
Winners will advance to the second round of the playoffs
Detroit PistonsOrlando MagicCleveland CavaliersToronto Raptors
NBA Game 7 winners and losers: Will Pistons or Magic make second round?
In win-or-go-home scenarios, teams tend to elevate their play and compete with desperation. Perhaps no team is feeling that more than Orlando, which had a 3-1 series lead before it allowed the Pistons to win two in a row, the most recent after an epic choke job in Game 6 in which the Magic shot only 4-of-37 from the floor in the second half.
Here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s NBA Playoffs Game 7s:
The NBA playoffs bring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.
See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.
Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
Q&A
What are the matchups for the NBA Game 7 on May 3?
The matchups are the Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors.
Why is the Orlando Magic under pressure in their Game 7?
The Orlando Magic are under pressure because they had a 3-1 series lead but lost two consecutive games, including a poor performance in Game 6.
What happened in Game 6 of the Pistons vs. Magic series?
In Game 6, the Orlando Magic shot only 4-of-37 from the floor in the second half, leading to a loss against the Detroit Pistons.
What is at stake for the winners of the NBA Game 7?
The winners of the NBA Game 7 will advance to the second round of the playoffs.
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The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen before Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
The shoes of Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
Shoes worn by Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
The Nike Lebron XXIII shoes worn by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) against the Houston Rockets in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, at Crypto.com Arena.
Shoes worn by Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
The shoes of Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
1 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The NBA playoffs bring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.
See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.
Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
1 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The NBA playoffs bring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.
See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.
Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
2 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen before Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
3 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
4 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
Shoes worn by Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
5 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The Nike Lebron XXIII shoes worn by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) against the Houston Rockets in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, at Crypto.com Arena.
6 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
Shoes worn by Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
7 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
8 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
9 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
He scored the Magic’s first 11 points and set the tone for Orlando, including draining the first three 3-pointers he attempted. Banchero aggressively sought his shot, and, when Detroit diverted more defensive attention toward Banchero, he tried to find his teammates.
He finished the half with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting. His biggest issue was that his teammates simply didn’t knock down their shots.
He erupted for 17 points in the second quarter and scored 19 overall in the first half, and Harris was the player who helped spark a 20-6 run to end the first half.
Mortiz Wagner delivers solid minutes off the bench
His stats weren’t noteworthy, but Wagner provided a spark off the bench with 6:15 high-energy minutes. His brother, Franz Wagner, is out with a right calf strain, but Mortiz Wagner posted the highest plus-minus (+7) of any Magic player in the first half.
LOSERS
The rest of the Magic
Orlando’s other starters combined to miss their first six shots of Game 7, and the Magic players not named Banchero shot just 8-of-27 (29.6%) in the first half.
While Banchero had 9 field goals in the first half, no other Orlando player had more than 2.
One of the big weaknesses this Pistons team has is perimeter shooting. Duncan Robinson was acquired in a July 2025 sign-and-trade to address the issue. In the first half Sunday, Robinson struggled from the floor, even though many of his looks were open ones. Robinson started the game 1-for-7 and finished the half 2-of-9 for 5 points.
Magic turnovers
Orlando can’t afford to have careless possessions, and a 9-3 deficit in the turnover battle was the key reason why Detroit went on that big run to close the half; the Pistons, not surprisingly, lead the battle in points off turnovers 12-3.