Cade Cunningham saves Pistons season vs Paolo Banchero, Magic in Game 5

The Detroit Pistons saved their season for one night in front of their home fans against the feisty Orlando Magic.

Cade Cunningham bounced back from two rough outings in Orlando to score a Pistons playoff record 45 points, Ausar Thompson stuffed the stat sheet and the Pistons held on for the 116-109 in Game 5 on Wednesday, April 29, in the 2026 NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Thompson dove on the floor to control a key offensive rebound after a Tobias Harris miss, and Cunningham drilled a pull-up 2-pointer for a 114-109 lead with 31.3 seconds left.

Paolo Banchero nearly led a 17-point comeback for the Magic, and finished with a playoff career-high 45 points on 17-for-31 shooting, including 6-for-11 on 3s.

The Pistons trail the first-round series, 3-2.

Game 6 will be Friday night in Orlando (Prime Video), where the Magic won twice already in this best-of-seven matchup.

The Magic are trying to become the seventh 8-seed to knock out a 1-seed in NBA history, but went just 16-for-30 at the foul line.

Cunningham poured in five 3s and shot 13-for-23 overall. He scored 27 in the first half. Tobias Harris added 23 points for the Pistons.

[ Let the Devin Booker to Pistons trade rumors begin ]

Thompson twisted his ankle early in the third quarter and missed nearly five minutes, but returned with an extra verve, gobbling rebounds, leading a fastbreak for a Harris dunk and getting three steals in the quarter. Thompson finished with six points, 15 rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocks in 36 minutes (he also have five turnovers).

Duncan Robinson had 12 points with three 3s and Jalen Duren had 12 points, nine rebounds (five on offense) and two blocks.

Anthony Black sizzled with 19 points off the bench for Orlando, which played without second-leading scorer Franz Wagner (right calf strain). The Magic started Pontiac native Jamal Cain in Wagner's place.

The Pistons led by as much as 17, 48-31, at the 8:21 mark of the second quarter, but the Magic closed the half with a 7-0 run after a series of errors and fouls from the Pistons. Orlando was just 10-for-19 at the foul line in the half; the more physical Pistons were 19-for-26.

The Pistons had 10 offensive rebounds in the first half to four for Orlando, including three off missed free throws in the game's first three minutes.

This story will be updated shortly.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Cade Cunningham saves Pistons season vs Magic, Paolo Banchero in Game 5