ORLANDO, Fla. – The Detroit Pistons looked finished early Friday night, but by the final buzzer, they were celebrating one of the most improbable comebacks in franchise postseason history.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff credited his team’s resilience after Detroit erased a 24-point deficit on the road to defeat the Orlando Magic and force a decisive Game 7.
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“A testament to the character of this group,” Bickerstaff said. “The consistency, the commitment to something greater than themselves, the willingness to do it together, they don’t want to disappoint each other. We just have an amazing spirit and never quit.”
Down big, then suddenly alive
Detroit trailed by 22 at halftime and fell behind by as many as 24 early in the third quarter before mounting a furious rally.
The Pistons chipped away possession by possession, opening the second half on a surge that flipped momentum and silenced the home crowd.
“It was staying present and staying in the moment,” Bickerstaff said. “We weren’t going to get it all back at once. We had to make play after play, possession by possession, and focus on all the small things.”
Reed sparks second-half surge
A key spark came from reserve Paul Reed, who had seen limited action earlier in the series but delivered a burst of energy off the bench.
Reed’s activity on defense, deflections, rebounds, and hustle plays — helped ignite the comeback.
“He’s one of those guys that personifies our spirit,” Bickerstaff said. “Any time you put him on the floor, he’s active, aggressive, all over the place. We needed that energy, and I knew he would bring it.”
Defense shuts Magic down
Detroit’s turnaround was fueled by a dramatic defensive shift. The Pistons increased ball pressure and physicality, disrupting Orlando’s rhythm.
The Magic missed their final 23 shots, managing just eight points in the fourth quarter.
“That was a special performance,” Bickerstaff said. “To hold them to 19 points in the second half and eight in the fourth, that’s one that goes down in the history books.”
The Pistons’ resolve has been a theme all season.
Bickerstaff said adversity tends to bring out the best in his group.
“In adverse situations, you’ve got two options, you fight, or you run,” Bickerstaff said. “The nature of this group is they fight. There is no ‘woe is me.’ It’s always, ‘What can I do to help the team?’”
One more game, one more chance
With the series now even, Detroit heads home for Game 7 with momentum and a clear focus.
“Hopefully, we start the game like we finished,” Bickerstaff said. “It starts with our defense. When that’s at a high level, our offense comes. We’ve had moments, but now we’ve got to put it together for 48 minutes.”
For a team that refuses to quit, one more complete effort could extend its season and add another chapter to an already remarkable run.