DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead the top-seeded Detroit Pistons to a 98-83 win over the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, evening their first-round series and ending the longest home losing streak in NBA playoff history.
The Pistons had lost 11 straight home postseason games, a drought that started in 2008.
Game 3 is Saturday in Orlando.
Detroit dominated the third quarter, turning a tie
game into a rout by outscoring the Magic 38-16 in the period with six players scoring at least five points.
After Cunningham scored a career playoff-high 39 points in Game 1 and didn’t get much help, the All-Star guard had plenty of support, with five teammates scoring in double figures.
Jalen Suggs scored 19 points and Paolo Banchero had 18 for the Magic. They combined to miss 14 of 25 shots as the team shot 33% and was held to a season low in points.
Detroit’s Tobias Harris scored 16 points, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson had 11 each, and Duncan Robertson and Isaiah Stewart each scored 10. Robinson made three much-needed 3-pointers for a team that struggles with outside shooting.
Orlando’s Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane had 12 points apiece and Wendell Carter Jr. was limited to three points on 1-of-6 shooting after he scored 17 in the opener.
The Magic did not trail in the opener as their starters scored at least 16 points apiece and the Pistons had just two players in double figures.
Detroit took its first lead of the series on the opening possession of Game 2 and jumped to a 14-7 lead with a desperately needed strong start after coming out sluggish in Game 1.
The Pistons led by four points after the opening quarter and the game was tied at 46 entering the third period, when Detroit looked like the defensive-minded team that had the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Both teams will have two days to make adjustments for Game 3.
Detroit hasn't advanced beyond the first playoff round in 18 years and Orlando hasn’t reached the second round in 16 years.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
