Friday, May 01, 2026

Associated Press, Media of Record

 By AP

May 1, 2026, 09:53 pm

ORLANDO, Fla. -- — Cade Cunningham scored 32 points and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons pulled off an incredible rally...

...The Magic looked absolutely poised to become the seventh No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in the conference quarterfinal round.

And then everything went wrong for Orlando. Everything.

...

That number, and a whole lot of others, were just baffling. The Magic missed 23 consecutive shots from the field, Detroit went on a 35-5 run and just like that, the story of the game — and quite possibly the series — changed wildly.

...

The first quarter was back and forth...

The second quarter: Magic 35, Pistons 12.

It seemed over. It was not. Because the third quarter: Pistons 24, Magic 11. The tone was set for a comeback, and when the night ended those who remained in Orlando's Kia Center booed as they departed for possibly the final time this season.