Pistons force Magic to Game 7, Cade Cunningham matches Isiah Thomas' record
TL;DR
The Detroit Pistons forced a Game 7 against the Orlando Magic with a 93-79 victory, overcoming a 22-point halftime deficit. Cade Cunningham matched Isiah Thomas' franchise record during the game.
Key points
- Pistons won 93-79 against the Magic
- Cade Cunningham matched Isiah Thomas' playoff record
- Pistons overcame a 22-point halftime deficit
- Ausar Thompson led the team's defense
- Game 7 will determine playoff advancement
Pistons force Magic to Game 7, Cade Cunningham matches Isiah Thomas' record originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NBA Playoffs have become very unexpected. The Detroit Pistons were written off by a vast majority of outlets and analysts as a first-round exit. Cade Cunningham heard all of the noise and turned the jets on. Ausar Thompson and Tobias Harris quickly followed his footsteps which led to a massive 93-79 win. One of them even notched a record that only Isiah Thomas touched in franchise history.
Pistons' Cunningham notched Thomas' NBA Playoffs record, force Game 7 vs. Magic
Being down 22 points by halftime usually means that a game in the NBA Playoffs is over. This was not the case for the Pistons. Ausar Thompson led the team on the defensive end which prevented the Magic from scoring more than 11 points in the third quarter and limited them again to eight points in the final period. Cade Cunningham, on the other hand, exploded by leading the Pistons to a 55-point half.
All of the doubts about the Pistons started to quiet down as the game ended too. Cunningham scored 19 points in the fourth quarter alone while the Magic, as a team, only produced eight points. This led the Pistons guard to finishing the game with 32 points on 43.5% field goal shooting while grabbing 10 rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
As a result, Cunningham became the first Pistons player since Isiah Thomas who recorded 30+ points and 10+ rebounds in an NBA Playoffs game, per StatMuse.
Ausar Thompson also notched a few records of his own in Game 6 against the Magic. The Pistons' defensive anchor got four blocks and a steal to keep their opponents from gaining any momentum. He is now the only non-center to have more than 10+ blocks in the NBA Playoffs. Thompson also leads the NBA Playoffs in stocks (total steals and blocks).
Limiting a team like the Magic to only 19 points in a single half during an NBA Playoffs elimination game is the reason why the Pistons are atop the Eastern Conference. Can Cunningham and Thompson finally get this first-round series out of their way come Game 7?
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Q&A
How did the Pistons come back to win against the Magic?
The Pistons overcame a 22-point halftime deficit, limiting the Magic to just 19 points in the second half while scoring 55 themselves.
What record did Cade Cunningham match in the playoffs?
Cade Cunningham matched Isiah Thomas' franchise record for playoff performance during the game.
What are the implications of the Pistons forcing a Game 7?
Forcing a Game 7 gives the Pistons a chance to advance further in the playoffs, defying expectations of an early exit.
