Cade Cunningham's 45 points overshadow Paolo Banchero's 45 as Pistons stay alive, force Game 6 with win against Magic

Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News on Apr 29, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

DETROIT — The Pistons held a three-point lead with one minute remaining in the game. Tobias Harris missed a floater, but Ausar Thompson grabbed the offensive rebound, giving the Detroit Pistons 14 seconds to work with on their possession. Cade Cunningham was able to find his spot and hit a mid-range jump shot. As the Magic called a timeout, the fans inside Little Caesars Arena began to chant "MVP!"

The basket marked Cunningham's 45th point of the game, setting a playoff franchise record. More importantly, it helped the Pistons secure a 116-109 Game 5 victory.

With the win, the Pistons managed to stave off elimination and force a Game 6 on Friday night in Orlando, Fla. The Magic currently lead the best-of-seven, first-round series 3-2. Despite facing elimination, the Pistons felt confident about their chances.

Their confidence was built on the lessons learned during the first four games, and Game 5 offered them an opportunity to apply those lessons. One critical lesson was the importance of starting the game with urgency and overcoming their lackluster play in the first quarter.

The Pistons had their best start of the series, taking a 38-26 lead into the second quarter. It was a significant improvement from their previous performances, in which they averaged 26.3 points in the first quarter. The Pistons built a 48-32 lead midway through the second quarter.

However, with the help of All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, the Magic managed to close the gap to six points at 66-60 late in the period. Banchero scored 12 of his 45 points during that quarter. Yet, for seemingly every basket Banchero made, Cunningham had an answer, scoring 20 points in the quarter to keep the Pistons afloat.

While Cunningham carried much of the scoring load, he had support from his teammates. Harris added 21 points, while Duncan Robinson and Jalen Duren finished with 12 points each. Thompson logged 13 rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks, along with six points.