Pistons stay alive, force Game 6 with home win over Magic

Detroit — The Detroit Pistons held a 112-109 lead with one minute remaining in the game. Tobias Harris missed a floater, but Ausar Thompson grabbed the offensive rebound, giving the Pistons 14 seconds to work with on their possession. Cade Cunningham was able to find his spot and hit a mid-range jump shot. As the Magic called a timeout, the fans inside Little Caesars Arena began to chant "MVP!"

This basket marked Cunningham's 45th point of the game, setting a playoff franchise record for the Pistons. More importantly, it secured the Pistons a 116-109 Game 5 victory.

With this win, the Pistons managed to stave off elimination and force a Game 6 on Friday night in Orlando. The Magic currently lead the best-of-seven, first-round series 3-2. Despite facing elimination, the Pistons felt confident about their chances.

Their confidence was built on the lessons learned during the first four games, and Game 5 offered them one last opportunity to apply them. One critical lesson was the importance of starting the game with urgency and overcoming their lackluster play in the first quarter.

The Pistons had their best start of the series, taking a 38-26 lead into the second quarter. This was a significant improvement from their previous performances, where they averaged just 26.3 points in the first quarter. As the game progressed, the Pistons built a double-digit lead of 48-32 midway through the second quarter.

However, with the help of All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, the Magic managed to close the gap to six points at 66-60 late in the period. Banchero scored 12 of his 45 points during that quarter. Yet, for every basket Banchero made, Cunningham had an answer, scoring 20 points in the quarter to keep the Pistons afloat.

While Cunningham carried much of the scoring load, he had support from his teammates. Harris added 21 points, while both Robinson and finished with 12 points each. Thomson made significant contributions as well, logging 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and two blocks, along with six points.