The Detroit Pistons picked up a key win during an elimination game to push their series with the Orlando Magic to game six on Friday
With the Detroit Pistons’ playoff fate on the line during Wednesday night’s elimination game, Cade Cunningham responded with his most impressive performance of the first round so far with 45 points, four rebounds and five assists in his team’s 116-109 win over the Orlando Magic.
During game five, the Pistons had the advantage of playing against a Franz Wagner-less squad with the versatile forward being held out due to a calf injury. So, Cunningham had an easier assignment when matched up against Jamal Cain, and the All-Star starter was able to bully the younger guard into the mid-range for more consistent looks than he would have garnered against Wagner. Cunningham’s 45 points on the night set a new Pistons playoff record, topping Dave Bing’s 44-point effort from over five decades ago.
Cunningham wasn’t the only player who rose to the occasion, though, as Paolo Banchero seized an opportunity to become even more involved with the Magic offense since Wagner was out of the picture. Banchero went 17-for-31 from the field while connecting on seven three-pointers during Detroit’s win, and the 6-10 matchup nightmare also added nine rebounds and seven assists to fill the stat sheet even further.
“I think obviously you don’t want to put yourself in this situation, but this is what we expected,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “When our backs have been against the wall, we come out swinging. We come out kicking. We come out scratching, biting, clawing– whatever is necessary to get it done. That spirit carries over. The want to not let your teammate down carries over, and we’ve got a locker room full of guys who feel that way.”
Throughout the first round series, Pistons center Jalen Duren has struggled to produce anywhere near the level he’d set during the regular season. Usually a 20 and 10 performer, JD has floated between the eight and 12 point range during games one through four against the Magic, and he’s had particular difficulty dealing with Wendell Carter Jr.’s presence in the paint on defense. But with Detroit’s playoff life on the line, the Pistons went to Duren early on against Orlando, and the All-Star center posted seven points in the first quarter. Even with that initial offensive kick to open the game, Duren was only able to add five more points to his total before the final whistle, leaving the big man well below his standard impact in another big game for Detroit.
Since Duren wasn’t able to contribute in his usual fashion, Cunningham took matters into his own hands, which precipitated the floor general’s massive scoring output. Cunningham was able to marginally get his ball control issue in check against the Magic without Wagner in the lineup, though he still coughed up the rock six times.
However, the Pistons were able to take those turnover issues and were still able to generate enough extra possessions through their focus on winning the rebounding battle. As a team, the Pistons grabbed 16 more rebounds than the Magic during game five (49-33) while snagging 16 total offensive rebounds on the night for some second-chance offense in the Motor City.
Apart from Cunningham and Duren, the Pistons received a massive boost from Ausar Thompson in several facets of the game. Although Thompson briefly left the contest in the second half due to an ankle injury, Thompson returned and continued to look electric with 15 rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocks on the night. Thompson added just six points, but his impact was so wide-spread that it's understandable why the Pistons have decided to overlook his shooting limitations in favor of everything else that AT brings to the table.
Now, the Pistons will look to regroup before another elimination game two days from now.
“Until that fat lady starts singing, we’ve got life,” Bickerstaff added.
With the Magic still in the lead at 3-2 in the series, the first round matchup will return to Orlando for game six on Friday, May 1 with a tip-off time that is yet to be announced.
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