DETROIT – Lamented in the locker room after Game 4, spoken about repeatedly at shootaround, and played into existence immediately in Game 5, the Detroit Pistons kept their season alive with a 116-109 win over the Orlando Magic and urgency from their stars.
Chants of “MVP, MVP, MVP” rained down around Little Caesars Arena in the final minutes in praise of No. 2, now No. 1 in franchise playoff scoring history.
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Cade Cunningham took command with 45 points on 13-for-23 shooting from the field and a perfect 14-for-14 at the free-throw line, setting the franchise record for most points in a single playoff game.
J.B. Bickerstaff has never seen anything like it in person.
“To know the moment, understand the moment, and just do whatever was necessary to help us get that win, that’s why he’s special,” the head coach said after pulling the series to within 3-2 heading back to Orlando.
“A never-die mentality,” Cunningham said after leaving the floor. “Just wanted to have controlled aggression all night and make sure they felt me. I didn’t want the season to end, so I had to put it all on the line.”
Cunningham passed Isiah Thomas (1987-88) and Bob Lanier (1976-77) as the only players in franchise history to score 25 points or more in five consecutive playoff games.
“There’s only a handful of them in the league,” Bickerstaff continued on his praise of Cade. “They’re unique. They’re special. To put the work in, to have the talent as a teammate, to understand the responsibility and what he means to this team—he wasn’t going to let us go down tonight.”
“I’m also not surprised,” Isaiah Stewart said at his locker. “I looked up and saw he had 45, and I was like, ‘Okay. It’s what you do.’ He’s built for the moment. This is how he’s been since day one, being a rookie. He takes on any challenge, he’s always calm about it, and does it to the best of his ability.”
Twenty-seven of Cunningham’s 45 points came in the first half, helping the Pistons take a six-point edge into the locker room.
Although the Magic trimmed the deficit to 71-69 two minutes into the third quarter, the Pistons led the game by as many as 17 and never trailed, keeping Orlando at arm’s reach by playing their style to perfection from the get-go.
“Our defense is going to be key for us,” Bickerstaff said. “I still thought there was room for improvement tonight. They made some tough shots, but the rebound battle? We did a hell of a job. We lost the turnover margin by one, but if you put the possession game together, keep them off the offensive glass, and create turnovers, you’re going to give yourselves a chance.”
Detroit out-rebounded the Magic at both ends, winning the battle on the boards 33-25 on defense and 16-8 on the offensive glass.
Plagued by turnovers and a lockdown defense that had forced Cunningham into an average of eight per game in the last three matchups, the Pistons forced 16 turnovers with a tenacity evident from the opening tip.
“Do what we’re supposed to do,” Ausar Thompson told Local 4 News in the locker room. “Move the ball. Keep the ball hot. Push the pace. That’s what we did tonight, so that’s why we scored as many points as we did.”
Thompson, who briefly left the game to re-tape, was a defensive whirlwind.
In 36 minutes of action, Thompson hauled in 15 rebounds with 5 steals, a pair of blocks, and 6 assists to go along with 6 points.
“Ausar was awesome,” Bickerstaff added. “Understand how he impacts the game, and just doing that, that’s one of the things that stands out. He sacrifices himself every single night to do whatever needs to be done.”
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero dueled with “Deuce” shot-for-shot, tying the game-high with 45 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Banchero’s scoring total comes up just one point shy of the Magic’s playoff scoring record, shared by Dwight Howard in 2011 and former Pistons guard Tracy McGrady against Detroit in 2003.
Held in check for much of the series, Jalen Duren scored seven of the team’s first 18 points, launching a 9-2 run off the opening tip and setting a charge for the best opening quarter of the series.
The big man wound up with 12 points and nine rebounds—five on the offensive glass.
Tobias Harris contributed 23 points with eight rebounds, the only other Pistons to exceed 12 points on Cunningham’s night to shine.
The Pistons will have to keep shining—together—to keep the season going.
“We handed out business tonight,” Cunningham said. “Now we have to handle our business there.”
Game 6 is scheduled for Friday in Orlando, with Game 7 Sunday in Detroit, if necessary.