All season, the Detroit Pistons stepped up to the challenge after a poor performance.
They did just that in the biggest game of the season Wednesday, April 22, against the Orlando Magic.
The 1-seed Pistons tied the best-of-seven NBA playoff series with a gutty 98-83 win over the 8-seed Magic in Game 2 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
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Cade Cunningham poured in a game-high 27 points, and the defense matched Orlando’s physicality with seven blocks in the first quarter alone.
The Pistons used a monster 30-3 run, keyed by defense, to break open a tie game at halftime. That turned a 46-all slugfest that looked like a 1990s/early 2000s throwback NBA playoff game into a 76-49 party − and the first-ever playoff win at LCA in its 10-year history, snapping an 0-6 start.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) warms up before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) warms up before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
ESPN NBA analyst Richard Jefferson, left, talks to Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon
before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs between Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons hosts Orlando Magic for Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons fans arrive before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs between Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons guard Caris LeVert (8) warms up before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons guard Caris LeVert, left, shakes hands with sports performance coach Rodrigo Alvira Isla during warm up before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) warms up before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
An official NBA game ball before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons assistant coach Vitaly Potapenko warms up with players before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) warms up before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pistons aim to even NBA playoffs series vs Orlando Magic in Game 2
ESPN NBA analyst Richard Jefferson, left, talks to Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon
before Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs between Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
All five Pistons started scored in double figures, and Isaiah Stewart added 10 points off the bench.
Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 19 points, and Paolo Banchero scored 18 points.
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The Magic won Game 1 on Sunday night at LCA with a 112-101 upset, never trailing.
Pistons Magic schedule
Game 3 of the Magic-Pistons playoff series is Saturday (1 p.m., Peacock) in Orlando. Game 4 is Monday night.
This story will be updated shortly.
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesk
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons tie playoff series on monster run to wipe out Magic in Game 2