Pistons, Raptors survive as Lakers progress in NBA playoffs

TL;DR

The Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors both forced decisive game sevens in their playoff series, while the Los Angeles Lakers advanced after defeating the Houston Rockets. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 32 points in their comeback win, while RJ Barrett's late three-pointer secured the Raptors' victory over the Cavaliers.

Key points

Detroit Pistons recover from 3-1 deficit against Orlando Magic
Toronto Raptors win in overtime against Cleveland Cavaliers
Los Angeles Lakers defeat Houston Rockets to advance
Cade Cunningham scores 32 points for the Pistons
RJ Barrett hits game-winning shot for the Raptors

Mentioned in this story

Cade CunninghamRJ BarrettLeBron James

Detroit PistonsOrlando MagicToronto RaptorsCleveland Cavaliers

Cade Cunningham led the way with 32 points and 10 rebounds (Rich Storry) (Rich Storry/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP) The top-seeded Detroit Pistons recovered from the brink of elimination with an astounding comeback against Orlando as the Los Angeles Lakers finally saw off Houston at the third time of asking in the NBA playoffs Friday. The Pistons' come-from-behind win took their series with the Magic to a decisive game seven, while the Toronto Raptors also set up a decider against Cleveland thanks to an overtime thriller triumph. Up 3-2 in the series against Detroit and seeking a close-out victory, the Magic had led by as many as 24 points before their shooting suddenly collapsed and the Pistons took full advantage. A shell-shocked Orlando missed 23 consecutive field goals -- the longest streak in playoff history -- and scored just one point in over 10 minutes of basketball, as the Pistons sealed a 93-79 win. "Never say die, simple as that. I mean, Detroit grit, it's what we've been talking about all year," said Detroit's Cade Cunningham, who led the scoring with 32 points and 10 rebounds. Having been down 3-1 in the series, the Pistons had looked set to become just the seventh top seed in NBA history to lose in the first round to their conference's bottom seed. But they now have a chance to win the series back in Detroit on Sunday. After an even first quarter, Orlando went on a hot streak, before the pressure of closing out their first playoff series win since 2010 seemed to kick in. Boos rained down on the court as a 71-54 Magic advantage was transformed into an 80-72 Detroit lead. The Pistons, having dominated the regular season, will now be favorites to claim their own first playoff series win since 2008. "Thank God we get to take this back to the crib. It's gonna be loud in Detroit, and we got to finish our business," said Cunningham, who scored 19 in the fourth quarter.

Q&A

How did the Detroit Pistons come back to win against the Orlando Magic?

The Pistons overcame a 24-point deficit, benefiting from the Magic's historic 23 consecutive missed field goals to win 93-79.

What was the outcome of the Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game?

The Raptors won in overtime, tying their series with the Cavaliers at 3-3, thanks to RJ Barrett's last-second three-pointer.

Who led the Los Angeles Lakers in their playoff win over the Houston Rockets?

LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points, helping them secure a 98-78 victory to advance to the Western semi-finals.

When are the decisive game sevens for the Pistons and Raptors scheduled?

Both game sevens are scheduled for Sunday, with the Pistons hosting the Magic and the Raptors visiting the Cavaliers.

Pistons, Raptors survive as Lakers progress in NBA playoffs

TL;DR

Key points

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