How the Orlando Magic Can Use Game 6 Collapse as Fuel

Even as the 2026-27 NBA season approaches, fans of the Orlando Magic will not soon forget the team’s epic Game 6 collapse in the first round of the playoffs against the Detroit Pistons last season.

The Magic held a 24-point lead and were just one half of basketball away from upsetting the No. 1-seeded team and winning their first playoff series in 16 years. Instead, disaster struck.

In the second half, Orlando missed 23-straight shots and went 45 minutes of real time between the shots it did make. The Pistons used the Magic’s offensive meltdown to fuel a comeback and win Game 6 before ultimately eliminating the latter in Game 7.

The Magic’s egregious second-half performance in Game 6 was part of a larger collapse in which they squandered a 3-1 lead against Detroit. After being eliminated, players such as Paolo Banchero talked about how Orlando needed to get better if it was going to succeed in the playoffs.

In the latest episode of "This Magic Moment," I joined my colleague RJ Saunders to talk about how the pain from the Game 6 loss can fuel the Magic moving forward:

"Well, in concrete terms, that's all it can be, RJ: a source of motivation. I mean, we're talking about one of the great collapses in NBA history. It was absolutely egregious what that second half of Game 6 turned into, you know, in terms of- I believe they only scored 17 points, right, missed 23 or 24 shots in a row, went 45 minutes of real time without hitting a shot. It was just an absolute epic collapse.

And at the end of that series, you know, we saw great games from Paolo Banchero in Games 5 and 7. That was the type of superstar he could be, but it wasn't enough, and he was very candid in that Game 7 postgame session after they were eliminated, talking about, like, 'We're not good enough right now,' you know? I mean, he basically said that in so many words. And in his offseason media appearances, like with Stephen A. Smith a couple of months ago, he talked about the work he's putting into his body, trying to become more durable so he can be there for his team.

But he also talked about, you know, not getting complacent and how, when he first made the playoffs as a young player, he was just thankful to be there. This team has passed that point. Three years in a row, they have shown that they can be a postseason participant, but that is all they have been. They have been knocked out all three times in the first round. 

This is a franchise that has not won a playoff series since 2010, right? So this fan base is hungry. This team is hungry because they do have the pieces, and Paolo can be the guy. And this team, together, when it's at its best, we saw what it can do. It can push around the number one seat in the East, right? And so, there are things that are going to have to play in their favor. 

Health, first and foremost. But more than that, I hope that game six has fueled all of these guys to push it a little harder in workouts. You know, do the things that maybe they don't want to do. Cut that vacation short. Whatever it has to be to make sure that they can reach the heights that they want to. I hope that the sting and the pain from that game served as motivation to be as committed as possible."