Top-Seeded Pistons One Loss From First-Round Exit After 94-88 Defeat in Orlando
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ORLANDO, Fla. — The Detroit Pistons’ 60-win season is on the brink after a 94-88 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday night dropped the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed into a 3-1 hole in their best-of-seven first-round series.
Desmond Bane delivered the decisive blow with 1:17 remaining, banking in a 29-foot three-pointer that stretched Orlando’s lead to six. The guard finished with 22 points, and his late shot sent a jolt through Kia Center as former Memphis teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. cheered from courtside seats.
Detroit surrendered 20 turnovers that turned into 23 Magic points. “Too many turnovers, bro,” center Jalen Duren said. “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Cade Cunningham posted 25 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks but committed eight turnovers. The All-Star guard has 24 giveaways in his last three games, the most in a three-game span since the NBA began tracking the stat in 1977-78.
The Pistons became just the third 60-win team to fall behind 3-1 in an opening series, joining the 2011 San Antonio Spurs and 2007 Dallas Mavericks. Both of those clubs eventually lost in six.
“We’re going to come out punching,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Wednesday’s Game 5 at Little Caesars Arena. “We’re not going to lay down for anybody.”
Neither offense found rhythm; the teams combined to shoot 15-for-65 from three-point range. Detroit blocked 18 shots but hit only 37.8% from the field and was edged 52-49 on the glass.
Orlando played the fourth quarter without forward Franz Wagner, who sat with right calf soreness and plans to undergo an MRI on Tuesday. Even so, the Magic protected a slim margin down the stretch, aided by 19 points from Paolo Banchero and Bane’s late heroics.
The eighth-seeded Magic have won five of six games since surviving the April 17 play-in against Charlotte, using physical defense and timely shooting to reverse an injury-plagued regular season. “They did it multiple times during the regular season,” Bane said of Detroit winning three straight. “We have to be ready to play.”
Game 5 tips off Wednesday in Detroit, where the Pistons must win to extend their season.
Source: ESPN
