For the first time in nearly two decades, the Detroit Pistons have done something their fans have been waiting to celebrate: win a playoff series. On Sunday at Little Caesars Arena, the Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic 116-94 in a decisive Game 7, punching their ticket to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2008.
It wasn't easy. After falling behind 3-1 in the series against the eighth-seeded Magic, Detroit showed real grit, winning three straight games to complete the comeback. The turning point came in Game 6 at Orlando, where the Pistons erased a 24-point deficit to stay alive. That momentum carried into Game 7, where they dominated from start to finish.
"It's great. We had a great regular season. We built a lot of momentum going into the playoffs, and to lose in the first round would've really stung," said star guard Cade Cunningham. "I think it would've stung the city."
Cunningham knows the struggle better than anyone. Drafted in 2021, he endured multiple seasons with 60-plus losses, including a painful 28-game losing streak during the 2023-2024 season. But everything changed when head coach J.B. Bickerstaff took over. Together, they transformed a team that won just 14 games in 2023-24 into a 44-win squad in 2024-25, and this season, a powerhouse with 60 wins.
In the first-round series against Orlando, Cunningham was nothing short of spectacular. He averaged 32.4 points and 6.3 assists per game, capping it off with a 32-point, 12-assist performance in Game 7. That effort placed him in elite company: he joined Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Jerry West, and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to record 225 or more points and 50 or more assists in a single playoff series.
"It means a lot," Cunningham added. "I'm excited for the fans, I'm excited to be a part of this group. I feel like we have a special group of guys who work hard, believe in each other, love each other."
For a franchise and a city that has waited 18 years for this moment, the Pistons are finally back in the conversation. And with Cunningham leading the way, this might just be the beginning.