Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – An epic Cade Cunningham performance kept top-seeded Detroit’s NBA playoff run alive in a crucial 116-109 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Cunningham scored a Pistons playoff-record 45 points to drag his side through a must-win game, pulling Detroit back to a 3-2 deficit in the best-of-seven series. The Pistons star man, having recently returned from a collapsed lung, played nearly 44 minutes as Detroit avoided a stunning first-round ouster at the hands of eighth seed Orlando.
“We dug ourselves a big hole, it’s going to be a tough one to climb out of, but we handled business tonight,” said Cunningham. “We’re at our best when our backs are against the wall,” he added. Having dominated the Eastern Conference during the regular season, Detroit has faltered badly at the start of the post-season. Needing to win three in a row to escape the first round, the Pistons came out of the blocks fast in front of a home crowd Wednesday.
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Playing with a high energy bordering on desperation, Jalen Duren scored seven of the Pistons’ first 11 points. Detroit owned the glass with 17 rebounds in the first quarter, building a 12-point lead. Cunningham exploded into the game with 20 points in the second quarter alone. But the gap closed to six points by half-time. Wendell Carter Jr. and Desmond Bane both missed go-ahead three-pointer attempts for Orlando soon after the break. The Pistons took advantage and powered clear, building a double-digit lead by the end of the third quarter.
Orlando refused to quit, mounting a late charge including a pair of Paolo Banchero three-pointers and a Carter Jr. dunk that narrowed the lead to three points. But a Cunningham three-pointer with barely 30 seconds remaining sealed the win. Banchero top-scored for Orlando with 45 points. The Magic — who only qualified for the playoffs via the play-in tournament — will have another chance to finish a surprise series win on Friday back in Orlando. A possible decider would take place in Detroit on Sunday.
Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off an impressive comeback victory to take a 3-2 lead over the Toronto Raptors. Having twice trailed by 12 points, Cleveland powered back in the second half with a much stronger defensive performance, to win 125-120. Evan Mobley led the rally with 10 points in the third quarter, while Dennis Schroder added 19 off the bench. It was the fifth straight win of the series for the home team and means all four Eastern Conference first-round playoff series are now 3-2. In the West on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to finish their series against the Houston Rockets, which they lead 3-1.
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