DETROIT, Mich. (AP) – Seemingly cruising with a 3-1 advantage in their first-round playoff series a few days ago, the Orlando Magic now find themselves in a Game 7 and possibly on the brink of elimination.
The Pistons host the Magic in their Game 7 on Sunday.
The winner moves on to the second round to face the Game 7 winner of the Cleveland-Toronto series.
After a 116-109 win in Game 5, the Pistons rallied from a 24-point second-half deficit to defeat the Magic 93-79 on Friday and send the series back to Detroit.
Orlando missed 23 straight shots from the field, including 13 from 3-point range, the most by any team in a playoff game during the play-by-play era that started in 1996-97. This was part of a 35-5 Pistons run.
The Magic still hope to become the seventh No. 8 seed to eliminate the conference’s top seed in the first round, but they need to bounce back quickly.
“The series ain’t over. I know they’ve clawed their way to tie it up 3-3. We won a game to start the series, and we’ve just got to go do it again,” forward Paolo Banchero said.
Orlando Magic at Detroit Pistons
When/Where to watch: Game 7, 3:30 p.m. EDT (ABC)
Series: Series tied 3-3
Betting line: Pistons by 8.5
What to Know: Whoever wins will end a long playoff drought. The Pistons haven’t made it past the first round since 2008, while the Magic haven’t won a playoff series since 2010. Detroit is 5-5 in Game 7s and unbeaten in four home games. Orlando is 2-2 and 1-2 on the road. Cunningham has scored at least 25 points in all six playoff games, including a team-record 45 in Game 5. Orlando forward Franz Wagner, who averaged 16.8 points in the first four games, is expected to miss a third straight game with a right calf strain.