Pistons open playoffs with loss to 8th-seeded Magic

Detroit's top-seeded team falls in Game 1 of first-round series

Apr. 20, 2026 at 2:53pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game, with the players and court fragmented into sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the Pistons' blue and red and the Magic's blue and white uniforms.The Pistons' playoff opener against the Magic exposes cracks in Detroit's top-seeded armor.Today in Detroit

The Detroit Pistons, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, opened the NBA playoffs with a 112-101 loss to the 8th-seeded Orlando Magic on Sunday night. Cade Cunningham scored a playoff career-high 39 points, but the Pistons struggled to get much production from the rest of the team. Detroit has now lost an NBA-record 11 straight home playoff games dating back to 2008.

Why it matters

The Pistons were expected to make a deep playoff run this season after earning the East's top seed, but their loss at home to the underdog Magic has raised questions about their ability to live up to those high expectations. The team's struggles to get contributions beyond Cunningham's big game could be a concerning sign as the series continues.

The details

The Pistons were sluggish early and never led in the game, though they did manage to tie it midway through the third quarter before the Magic pulled away with a 14-3 run. Detroit finished with a season-low 31 baskets and shot just 40% from the field. All-Star center Jalen Duren was limited to 4 shots and 8 points as the Magic focused on packing the paint to slow him down.

  • The Pistons lost Game 1 on Sunday, April 20, 2026.
  • Game 2 of the series will be played on Wednesday, April 23, 2026 in Detroit.

The players

Cade Cunningham

The Pistons' star guard scored a playoff career-high 39 points in the loss, but did not get much support from his teammates.

Jalen Duren

The Pistons' All-Star center was limited to just 4 shots and 8 points as the Magic focused on packing the paint to slow him down.

Tobias Harris

The Pistons' second-leading scorer with 17 points, but he missed 10 of his 15 shot attempts.

J.B. Bickerstaff

The Pistons' head coach acknowledged that his team was "chasing" the Magic all night and did not come out with the right energy.

Jamahl Mosley

The Magic's head coach said his team's recent playoff experience, having just won an elimination game to earn a spot, gave them an advantage over the rested Pistons.

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What they’re saying

“We're sick about losing this one. It's a long series.”

— Cade Cunningham

“We didn't come out with the right energy.”

— Cade Cunningham

“They've been off and we've found a little bit of a rhythm. That always plays a part in it.”

— Jamahl Mosley, Magic head coach

What’s next

The Pistons will host the Magic again in Game 2 on Wednesday, April 23, 2026, looking to even the series before it shifts to Orlando.

The takeaway

The Pistons' loss at home to the 8th-seeded Magic has raised doubts about their ability to live up to their top-seed status and make a deep playoff run. Their struggles to get contributions beyond Cade Cunningham's big game could be a concerning sign, and they'll need to find a way to slow down the surging Magic in Game 2 to avoid falling into a deep hole.