Beede's Breakdown: Magic stun top-seeded Pistons, take 1-0 series lead
DETROIT - The Magic accomplished something Sunday night against the top-seeded Pistons that they had yet to do under coach Jamahl Mosley.
Eighth-seeded Orlando won on the road in the postseason. With the 112-101 victory, the Magic have a 1-0 lead in their Eastern Conference opening-round series. Game 2 is set Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Detroit on ESPN.
Previously 0-8 away from Kia Center in the postseason (0-7 in the playoffs and 0-1 in the play-in tournament) across three seasons, the Magic led wire-to-wire and built leads of as many as 13 points inside Little Caesars Arena in front of a national TV audience on NBC. The Magic repelled the Pistons each time Detroit got close, like late in fourth quarter. The Pistons pulled to within 96-92 with 6:50 left after Cade Cunningham made a pair of free throws.
Orlando’s Tristan da Silva answered with a 3-point shot and Detroit never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.
The Magic recorded their first playoff victory on the road since April 13, 2019, a 104-101 win at Toronto in a first-round series.
“(The Pistons) went on their runs and our guys did a very good job of coming together, communicating the things that they saw both offensively and defensively,” Mosley said. “That’s a big portion of it for me.
“When we communicate at this high level and understand exactly what everybody’s trying to accomplish on both sides of the ball, I think this team can be pretty good.”
Orlando’s starting lineup - Paolo Banchero (23 points), Franz Wagner (19), Desmond Bane (17), Wendell Carter Jr. (17) and Jalen Suggs (16) - combined to score 92 of the team’s 112 points when they often silenced Pistons’ fans in attendance during the 11-point victory.
Cunningham and Tobias Harris were the only two players to score in double figures for the Pistons. Cunningham led the way with 39 points on 12-of-27 shooting, to go along with five rebounds and four assists. Harris added 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting.
The result is significant. Orlando’s players finally proved they can win on the road in the playoffs. More importantly, the emphatic victory comes with precedent. Teams that have won Game 1 of a first-round series have wound up winning the series 76.1% of the time since 2003, according to the NBA.
No. 1 Detroit, which is in the playoffs for a second consecutive year after a five-year gap, hasn’t won a playoff game at home since 2008. After Sunday’s loss, the Pistons are 0-11 at home in the playoffs in that span. It’s the longest home playoff losing streak in NBA history.
“It’s a step in the right direction for the team, for this group, with our past track record on the road in the playoffs,” Banchero said. “We’ve just got to get ready for Wednesday, see what we did well (and) what we can clean up. I expect (the Pistons) to come out with a lot of energy and we’ve just got to be ready for it.”
Banchero’s playoff success continues
The Magic forward was aggressive from the jump, driving to the basket and finding his spots on the floor. He notched nine points in the first quarter and 17 in the first half.
Banchero also made two 3-pointers in the first half and finished 5-for-7 from the free throw line. Playing 37 minutes, he recorded nine rebounds and four assists.
After Sunday, Banchero has scored 20 or more points in 11 of his 13 career playoff games.
“Paolo’s dominance in his approach to the game was excellent,” Mosely said. “His voice, his command of the floor (and) his court presence was special. When he has that presence, it’s something to be seen.”
Super Suggs
The Magic guard was the only other Orlando player to reach double figures in the first half with 11 points. He was far from accurate from beyond the arc, shooting 2-for-9 on 3-point attempts during the first two quarters.
Even when his shots weren’t falling (he ended 3-for-10 from distance), Suggs still made an impact on both ends by making plays for his teammates (four assists) and forcing Detroit turnovers (three steals). Neither team protected the ball exceedingly well. The Magic scored 17 points off 14 Detroit turnovers. The Pistons totaled 18 points off 23 takeaways.
Suggs put his body on the line, too, diving for loose balls and finishing through contact around the rim. Sometimes, though, his physicality was too much. He picked up his fifth foul with 7:53 left in the fourth quarter and fouled out with 1:34 remaining in the game.
Favoring his left left at times throughout the game, Suggs said afterward he feels good.
“They’re very important,” he said about the next two days before Game 2. “It’s time for us to spend time together, stay connected as a unit, watch the game, take care of our bodies and just get ready for another battle. … I’m feeling solid.”
Bane bumpy
Desmond Bane was added to the injury report in the morning due to an illness, but was listed as probable before he eventually was able to play.
He failed to find his shot from 3-point range, missing his first five long-range attempts and ending 1-for-8 on 3-pointers. Bane also found himself in foul trouble, picking up his third foul roughly a minute into the third quarter, his fourth roughly halfway through the fourth and his fifth with 3:45 remaining in the game.
The Magic guard was able to drive downhill at times, though, and convert in the paint. Orlando outscored Detroit 54-34 in the lane.
After the game, Bane told reporters in the locker room he was dealing with a stomach ache but feels good after playing 35 minutes in Game 1.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 9:44 PM.