Cade Cunningham’s record night keeps Pistons alive in series with Magic: Takeaways
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- The Detroit Pistons kept their season alive with a 116-109 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5, cutting the series deficit to 3-2 and avoiding elimination on their home court.
- Cade Cunningham led Detroit with a franchise playoff record 45 points, along with 4 rebounds and 5 assists, delivering a crucial performance to extend the series.
- Orlando's Paolo Banchero matched Cunningham's 45 points and added 9 rebounds and 7 assists, but the Magic were without Franz Wagner due to a calf strain, impacting their lineup.
- Physicality and early hustle proved decisive again, with the Pistons dominating offensive rebounds and second-chance points, a key factor in their Game 5 victory.
- The series now shifts back to Orlando for Game 6, where the Magic will look to close out the series at home, likely relying on Banchero and Desmond Bane to compensate for Wagner's probable absence.
