Pistons' rally falls short in loss to Magic

Detroit cuts 26-point deficit to 4 in fourth quarter but can't complete comeback

Apr. 7, 2026 at 1:38am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game, with overlapping planes of navy blue, hunter green, and burnt orange representing the action on the court.The Pistons' fourth-quarter comeback effort fell just short against the Magic, exposing areas for improvement as the team prepares for the playoffs.Today in Detroit

The Detroit Pistons staged a furious fourth-quarter comeback but ultimately fell short, losing 123-107 to the Orlando Magic on Monday night. The Pistons trailed by as many as 26 points before cutting the deficit to just 4 points late in the game, but the Magic responded with a 12-0 run to seal the victory.

Why it matters

The loss is a setback for the Pistons, who entered the game as the top seed in their conference. Despite the strong fourth-quarter effort, the team's inability to overcome the large early deficit highlights areas for improvement as they look to make a deep playoff run.

The details

The Pistons struggled mightily for the first three quarters, trailing by as many as 26 points. However, a strong fourth-quarter performance led by Javonte Green, who scored 12 of his 17 points in the period, helped Detroit cut the deficit to just 4 points with 4:07 remaining. But the Magic responded with a 12-0 run to put the game out of reach.

  • The Pistons trailed by 26 points at one point in the game.
  • Detroit opened the fourth quarter with a 10-0 run.
  • Jalen Duren led the Pistons with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
  • Daniss Jenkins hit a 3-pointer with 4:07 left to cut the deficit to 4 points.
  • The game was played on Monday, April 6, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando.

The players

Javonte Green

A Pistons reserve who scored 17 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter to spark Detroit's comeback effort.

Jalen Duren

The Pistons' starting center, who led the team with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

Daniss Jenkins

A Pistons guard who scored 18 points and hit a key 3-pointer late to cut the deficit to 4 points.

Paolo Banchero

The Magic's leading scorer, pouring in 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting.

Desmond Bane

The Magic's second-leading scorer with 25 points.

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What they’re saying

“We can't dig ourselves into that big of a hole and expect to come back every time. We have to be better from the start.”

— Jalen Duren, Pistons Center

What’s next

The Pistons will look to bounce back on Wednesday when they host the Milwaukee Bucks, another top team in the conference.

The takeaway

Despite the Pistons' impressive fourth-quarter rally, their inability to overcome a large early deficit against a lesser opponent highlights areas for improvement as they prepare for the playoffs. The team will need to find a way to start games with more energy and focus to avoid falling into similar holes moving forward.