DETROIT – The top-seeded Detroit Pistons are in a familiar and precarious position, trailing the Orlando Magic 3-1 in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
Detroit, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference after a 60-22 regular season, has been outplayed in three of the first four games and now faces elimination in Game 5 on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena.
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History offers mixed comfort
The situation echoes a notable chapter in franchise history.
In the 2003 playoffs, Orlando, led by Tracy McGrady and coached by Doc Rivers, took a 3-1 series lead over Detroit before the Pistons rallied to win in seven games.
That comeback was fueled in part by McGrady’s now-famous remark, “It feels good to get into the second round.”
Like in years past, Orlando holds the advantage, and its confidence has been evident.
During their Game 4 victory inside the Kia Center, fans held signs reading “Magic in 5.”
History offers only limited encouragement as 13 teams have rallied from 3-1 deficits to win a postseason series, most recently the Denver Nuggets in 2020, when they did so twice inside the league’s pandemic “bubble.”
The most famous comeback came in the 2016 NBA Finals, when LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Golden State Warriors.
An early exit would put Detroit in rare company as only two teams in NBA history, the 2007 Dallas Mavericks and the 2011 San Antonio Spurs, have won at least 60 games and failed to advance beyond the first round.
There have been only six No. 8 seeds to have ever upset a No. 1 seed in the first round of the NBA playoffs, taking place in 1994 (Denver over Seattle Supersonics), 1999 (New York Knicks over Miami Heat), 2007 (Golden State Warriors over Dallas Mavericks), 2011 (Memphis Grizzlies over San Antonio Spurs), 2012 (Philadelphia 76ers over Chicago Bulls) and 2023 (Miami Heat over Milwaukee Bucks).
Pistons’ struggles run deep
The Pistons’ struggles have been consistent throughout the series.
All-Star guard Cade Cunningham scored 25 points in Game 4 but shot just 7 of 23 from the field and committed eight turnovers.
He has 24 turnovers over the past three games, the most in a three-game postseason span since the league began tracking the statistic in the 1977-78 season, according to ESPN.
Center Jalen Duren added 12 points in Game 4 but has struggled to assert himself against Orlando’s Wendell Carter Jr. Veteran Tobias Harris finished with 20 points and six rebounds but missed all five of his 3-point attempts, including several open looks late.
Former Michigan Wolverines standout Duncan Robinson scored seven points while shooting 1 for 6 from beyond the arc and was frequently targeted defensively.
As a team, Detroit went just one for 16 from three-point range in the second half of Game 4, a slump that underscored its offensive inconsistency.
The Magic, meanwhile, have controlled the tempo and executed on both ends, putting Detroit on the brink of elimination.
What’s next
Despite the deficit, the Pistons can draw on their past comeback for inspiration.
But to avoid elimination and a historic disappointment, Detroit will need a far sharper performance in Game 5.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST.