Imagine trying to explain this to a friend who doesn’t really watch the NBA.
The No. 8-seeded Magic led the No. 1 Pistons 60-38 in a home elimination game with a 3-2 series lead.
On the verge of becoming the seventh No. 1 seed to lose to the No. 8 seed in NBA history, the Pistons mounted a furious, defensive comeback, outscoring the Magic 55-19 in the second half in front of their home crowd.
Orlando lost the game despite leading by 22 points at the end of the first half, with a score of 93-79.
The Pistons outscored the Magic 31-8 in the fourth quarter, with Orlando shooting 1-for-20 from the field and 0-for-10 from deep.
Detroit’s star Cade Cunningham finished with just as many points in the fourth quarter (19) as Orlando had in the entire second half.
The Magic’s 19 points are the lowest ever for a team in a first half during an NBA playoff game.
During their collapse, the Magic missed 23 straight shots, 27 of their last 28 field goal attempts, and 37 of their 41 second-half attempts from the floor.
A Pistons win forces Game 7 to be held in Detroit on Sunday.
The Pistons, who trailed 3-1 in Game 5, haven’t won a playoff game since 2008, while the Magic haven’t won since 2010.
Cunningham, who found his attack late, finished the unforgettable evening with 32 points, along with 10 rebounds.
The winner of the series will face the winner of the Cavaliers-Raptors series in the Eastern Conference semifinals, which begins next week.
Shortly after the Pistons’ win, the Raptors edged the Cavaliers in overtime behind a triple from RJ Barrett, who passed Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton on a high rebound off the back iron to drain the three.
That sets up Game 7 between the Cavaliers and Raptors on Sunday.