Cunningham, Banchero drop 45 each as Pistons top magic

DETROIT – When excitement began to build at Little Caesars Arena Paolo Banchero Knocked down a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer that made it Game 5 Detroit Pistons And Orlando Magic A three-point play with just over a minute to go Wednesday night.

After leading by 15 points before the fourth quarter, the Pistons’ season was on the line and they were close to elimination thanks to 45 points from the Magic Bunchero.

but Cade Cunningham Driven to the right side of the floor and got Desmond Benn He slides back as he stops and pops a 16-foot fadeaway with 32 seconds left. Cunningham’s basket capped his own 45-point, franchise-record night and kept top-seeded Detroit’s season alive. 116–109 victory

If Game 4 was a defensive slugfest won by the Magic in Orlando, Florida, Game 5 will be remembered as a classic playoff duel between two of the game’s best young offensive talents. Cunningham and Banchero became the second set of doubles players in NBA playoff history with 45-point performances, joining Donovan Mitchell (51 points) and Jamal Murray (50 points), who doubled in Game 4 of the 2020 first round between the Jazz and Nuggets on the NBA COVID-19 bubble.

“That’s what’s happening,” Cunningham said when asked about him and Banchero joining Murray and Mitchell in scoring so many points in a playoff game against each other. “I’m sure it was a great game. Hopefully the fans will enjoy it, but it was a great win for us.

“… Not everyone is blessed with that kind of pressure and the opportunity to put things like that on the line. Sometimes I feel unworthy of how many great moments I get to be a part of. Just try to make the most of it.”

Cunningham Edge Dave Bing (44 points in 1968) for most points in a playoff game for the Pistons. Detroit needed every one Wednesday as the Magic struggled to keep it off despite not having it Franz Wagnerwho missed Game 5 with a right calf strain. (His status for Game 6 and a possible Game 7 remains uncertain).

Without Wagner, Banchero said he knew he had to step it up and he did, making 17-of-31 shots with six 3-pointers. But he missed 7 of 12 from the free-throw line and 14 total from the 8-seeded Magic stripe.

Banchero, however, did his best to keep the game close, scoring 18 of his points and hitting 4-of-6 triples in the fourth when the Pistons led by 15 early in the quarter.

“In the heat of the moment, you don’t really think about it,” Banchero said of his confrontation with Cunningham. “You’re just thinking about winning. But sure, one day (I’ll) look back and be like, ‘That was a hell of a game.’ But me and him have been going at it since the AAU days. So no surprise there.”

Cunningham set the tone for Detroit when he scored 20 points in the second quarter. Without harassing Wagner defensively, Cunningham seemed to be able to take any shot he wanted and get to the line, where he went 14-of-14.

With Wagner as the primary defender over him in the first four games of the series, Cunningham scored a total of 17 points, shot 6-for-24 from the field, including 3 of 16 from behind the arc, and had six turnovers, according to ESPN’s tracking.

For the Pistons, however, it was about playing like themselves and coming out with the necessary aggression, hunger, effort and physicality.

“We come out swinging, we come out kicking, we come out scratching, biting, clawing, whatever it takes,” Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff said, “and carrying that spirit. And not wanting to let your teammate down.”

Now the Pistons head back to Orlando trying to force a Game 7. Bickerstaff said it looks a lot like a Pistons team that won 60 games in the regular season and earned the top seed in the East. Auser Thompson Had 15 rebounds and five steals. Jalen Duren Nearly had a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. And Tobias Harris Scored 23 points and had eight rebounds.

Bickerstaff was asked if the Pistons seemed to have some life again.

“Man, I think we’ve always got life,” he said. “Until that fat lady starts singing, we’ve got life.”