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Pistons
Snap
11-Game
Home
Playoff
Skid,
Even
Series
with
Magic
Willis
Jones -
Sports
Tell Us
Detroit
News
Bureau
DETROIT
- The
Detroit
Pistons
exorcised
years of
postseason
frustration
Wednesday
night,
defeating
the
Orlando
Magic
104–96
at
Little
Caesars
Arena to
even
their
first-round
Eastern
Conference
playoff
series
at one
game
apiece.
The
victory
marked a
historic
turning
point
for the
franchise,
snapping
a
11-game
home
playoff
losing
streak
and
securing
Detroit’s
first
postseason
win on
its home
floor in
nearly
two
decades.
Detroit
leaned
on a
balanced
offensive
effort
and a
stifling
defensive
approach
to
bounce
back
from a
loss in
the
series
opener.
Cade
Cunningham
anchored
the
Pistons
with 27
points
and
eight
assists,
controlling
the
tempo
and
repeatedly
breaking
down
Orlando’s
perimeter
defense.
Tobias
Harris
provided
a
veteran
spark
with 19
points,
while
Jalen
Duren
dominated
the
interior,
tallying
14
points
and 13
rebounds
to help
Detroit
control
the
glass.
The
Pistons
seized
momentum
in the
third
quarter,
outscoring
Orlando
29–20
behind
fluid
ball
movement
and
transition
scoring.
Detroit’s
defense
also
neutralized
Magic
star
Paolo
Banchero,
limiting
his
efficiency
after
his
dominant
Game 1
performance.
While
Banchero
finished
with 22
points,
he was
forced
into a
21-shot
night as
Detroit
utilized
consistent
double-teams
to
contest
his
looks.
Orlando
remained
within
striking
distance
entering
the
fourth
quarter,
fueled
by Franz
Wagner’s
18
points
and a
brief
run that
trimmed
the
deficit
to five.
Detroit
answered
with a
decisive
10–2
surge
midway
through
the
final
period,
punctuated
by a
Cunningham
pull-up
three-pointer
and a
fast-break
dunk
from
Harris
to
effectively
seal the
result.
The
Pistons
shot 47%
from the
field
and
committed
only 10
turnovers,
a marked
improvement
in ball
security
compared
to Game
1.
Conversely,
Orlando
struggled
from
deep,
converting
just
9-of-31
attempts
from
beyond
the arc.
With the
series
tied
1–1, the
matchup
shifts
to
Orlando
for Game
3. The
Magic
will
look to
reclaim
the
advantage
on their
home
floor,
while
Detroit
seeks to
maintain
the
momentum
of a
night
that
finally
ended a
long-standing
drought
for the
home
crowd.
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