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The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference looked like an underdog in their first NBA playoff game.
The Detroit Pistons started slow at home in the playoffs, just as they did in all three losses a year ago to the New York Knicks.
And just like in 2025, it cost them.
The Pistons added to their NBA record home playoff losing streak, as the 8-seeded Orlando Magic stunned the them, 112-101, on Sunday night in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA playoffs in the first round at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The Pistons (60-22) have lost 11 straight playoff games at home, and are 0-8 all-time at LCA, which opened in 2016.
Cade Cunningham (39 points, playoff career high) on 13-for-27 shooting and Tobias Harris (17 points) on 5-for-15 shooting were the lone Pistons to score in double figures.
All-Star Jalen Duren (eight points, seven rebounds) was outplayed by Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. (17 points, seven rebounds, five assists).
Orlando (45-37 in the regular season) was led by 23 points from Paolo Banchero, their No. 1 overall pick in 2022. The Magic got 19 points from Michigan alumnus Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane added 17 points and Jalen Suggs poured in 16 points.
The Pistons trailed the entire game, down as many as 13 early (18-5), but crept within 52-51, before entering halftime down 55-51.
The Pistons closed late in the fourth quarter with a five-man lineup that hadn't played one minute together all season: Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, Kevin Huerter, Isaiah Stewart and Duren.
Cunningham took over in the second half, scoring 25 points. But the Magic got hot late, making nine of their first 10 shots in the fourth quarter. After the Pistons cut it to four with 6:48 to go, Orlando answered with a 7-1 run, pushing the lead back to double-digits.
A dagger layup from Suggs with just over two minutes remaining pushed the Magic’s lead to 12.
The Pistons struggled to slow Banchero, who scored 17 points in the first half. The Magic outperformed the Pistons in areas the Pistons usually dominant. The Pistons lost the paint battle, 54-34, and were outrebounded 45-39.
The Pistons trailed during the entire first half after a slow start, allowing the Magic to build an early 18-5 lead. Detroit committed six turnovers and gave up five offensive rebounds in the first quarter, and Orlando knocked down three of its first four 3-pointers before missing their its nine.
The Pistons, who last played a week ago while the Magic played in two play-in tournament games, cut the deficit to 29-27 with a 17-7 run capped by a Jenkins 3-pointer.
They got within single digits twice in the second quarter and cut it to one, 52-51, with a fastbreak layup from Cunningham with 1:24 on the clock.
The Pistons won the second quarter, 24-20, while committing just one turnover and holding the Magic to 6-for-17 (35.3%) shooting. However, the Pistons only shot 7-for-23 (30.4%) overall themselves.
Here's what else stood out from Game 1:
TRENDING: Magic better than Pistons expected, but no excuse for Game 1 upset
Game 2 is Wednesday night (7 p.m., ESPN) at LCA. The series shifts to Orlando for Game 3 on Saturday.
The superstar guard acknowledged last week he was still getting back to 100% health after missing three weeks in March and April with a collapsed left lung.
In Game 1, it was clear Cunningham’s still getting his rhythm and wind back.
He entered halftime with a team-high 14 points, but on 5-for-12 (41.7%) shooting with just one assist (averaged 9.9 in regular season) and three turnovers. There were several uncharacteristic plays for Cunningham through the first two quarters – a couple of airballs on midrange shots, inattentiveness leading to him giving the ball up, and an inability to create space and hit his usual targets.
In the third quarter, more jumpers began to fall for Cunningham. He led a 10-0 run to trim the deficit to one with a string of smart plays – a drive-and-kick for a Tobias Harris 3-pointer, a glide past Banchero for a layup, and a pullup 3-pointer to cut it to 63-62. Cunningham scored nine points and dished two assists on 4-for-6 shooting in the period.
A pull-up 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter that cut the deficit to four gave him 28 points and pulled his shooting percentage to 50%, 10-for-20. He tried his best to keep the team in it in the fourth with 11 points, but it was too little, too late.
After closing the regular season on an offensive tear, the first-time All-Star largely was uninvolved on Sunday. He took one shot in the first quarter and didn’t make his first bucket until nearly 12 minutes of action.
Duren only took four shots in 33 minutes, making three. He averaged 11.5 attempts per game this season. He was just 2-for-4 at the foul line.
It was one of his worst defensive performances as well. Orlando owned the paint, taking advantage of Duren’s late rotations and weak contests. The Pistons desperately needed a second scorer, with only Cunningham and Harris finishing in double figures.
They’ll need a strong response from Duren in Game 2.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons Magic Game 1 score: Banchero, Orlando steal NBA playoff opener
Continue reading...
The Detroit Pistons started slow at home in the playoffs, just as they did in all three losses a year ago to the New York Knicks.
And just like in 2025, it cost them.
The Pistons added to their NBA record home playoff losing streak, as the 8-seeded Orlando Magic stunned the them, 112-101, on Sunday night in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA playoffs in the first round at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The Pistons (60-22) have lost 11 straight playoff games at home, and are 0-8 all-time at LCA, which opened in 2016.
Cade Cunningham (39 points, playoff career high) on 13-for-27 shooting and Tobias Harris (17 points) on 5-for-15 shooting were the lone Pistons to score in double figures.
All-Star Jalen Duren (eight points, seven rebounds) was outplayed by Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. (17 points, seven rebounds, five assists).
Orlando (45-37 in the regular season) was led by 23 points from Paolo Banchero, their No. 1 overall pick in 2022. The Magic got 19 points from Michigan alumnus Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane added 17 points and Jalen Suggs poured in 16 points.
The Pistons trailed the entire game, down as many as 13 early (18-5), but crept within 52-51, before entering halftime down 55-51.
The Pistons closed late in the fourth quarter with a five-man lineup that hadn't played one minute together all season: Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, Kevin Huerter, Isaiah Stewart and Duren.
Cunningham took over in the second half, scoring 25 points. But the Magic got hot late, making nine of their first 10 shots in the fourth quarter. After the Pistons cut it to four with 6:48 to go, Orlando answered with a 7-1 run, pushing the lead back to double-digits.
A dagger layup from Suggs with just over two minutes remaining pushed the Magic’s lead to 12.
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The Pistons struggled to slow Banchero, who scored 17 points in the first half. The Magic outperformed the Pistons in areas the Pistons usually dominant. The Pistons lost the paint battle, 54-34, and were outrebounded 45-39.
The Pistons trailed during the entire first half after a slow start, allowing the Magic to build an early 18-5 lead. Detroit committed six turnovers and gave up five offensive rebounds in the first quarter, and Orlando knocked down three of its first four 3-pointers before missing their its nine.
The Pistons, who last played a week ago while the Magic played in two play-in tournament games, cut the deficit to 29-27 with a 17-7 run capped by a Jenkins 3-pointer.
They got within single digits twice in the second quarter and cut it to one, 52-51, with a fastbreak layup from Cunningham with 1:24 on the clock.
The Pistons won the second quarter, 24-20, while committing just one turnover and holding the Magic to 6-for-17 (35.3%) shooting. However, the Pistons only shot 7-for-23 (30.4%) overall themselves.
Here's what else stood out from Game 1:
TRENDING: Magic better than Pistons expected, but no excuse for Game 1 upset
Pistons Magic playoff schedule
Game 2 is Wednesday night (7 p.m., ESPN) at LCA. The series shifts to Orlando for Game 3 on Saturday.
Cade Cunningham rusty early, finds rhythm late
The superstar guard acknowledged last week he was still getting back to 100% health after missing three weeks in March and April with a collapsed left lung.
In Game 1, it was clear Cunningham’s still getting his rhythm and wind back.
You must be registered for see images attach
He entered halftime with a team-high 14 points, but on 5-for-12 (41.7%) shooting with just one assist (averaged 9.9 in regular season) and three turnovers. There were several uncharacteristic plays for Cunningham through the first two quarters – a couple of airballs on midrange shots, inattentiveness leading to him giving the ball up, and an inability to create space and hit his usual targets.
In the third quarter, more jumpers began to fall for Cunningham. He led a 10-0 run to trim the deficit to one with a string of smart plays – a drive-and-kick for a Tobias Harris 3-pointer, a glide past Banchero for a layup, and a pullup 3-pointer to cut it to 63-62. Cunningham scored nine points and dished two assists on 4-for-6 shooting in the period.
A pull-up 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter that cut the deficit to four gave him 28 points and pulled his shooting percentage to 50%, 10-for-20. He tried his best to keep the team in it in the fourth with 11 points, but it was too little, too late.
Jalen Duren timid vs Magic in Game 1
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After closing the regular season on an offensive tear, the first-time All-Star largely was uninvolved on Sunday. He took one shot in the first quarter and didn’t make his first bucket until nearly 12 minutes of action.
Duren only took four shots in 33 minutes, making three. He averaged 11.5 attempts per game this season. He was just 2-for-4 at the foul line.
It was one of his worst defensive performances as well. Orlando owned the paint, taking advantage of Duren’s late rotations and weak contests. The Pistons desperately needed a second scorer, with only Cunningham and Harris finishing in double figures.
They’ll need a strong response from Duren in Game 2.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons Magic Game 1 score: Banchero, Orlando steal NBA playoff opener
Continue reading...
