With their 94-88 win in Game 5, the Orlando Magic have taken a 3-1 series lead over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
The Magic are now just one of six eighth-seeded teams to take a 3-1 lead over a number one seed, and four of the previous five have gone on to advance past the first round.
Led by Desmond Bane, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr., and an injured Franz Wagner, Orlando is now in a prime position to upset the Pistons in the first round.
NBA World Reacts To Magic Taking 3-1 Lead Over Pistons
Shortly after the Magic’s win, social media was buzzing. Here are a few of the first reactions to Orlando’s big Monday night win over Detroit.
19 PTS 5 REB 4 STL +17
Only played 6 minutes in the second half.
12 — Cade & Jalen 10 — Orlando Magic
NO. 8 SEED ONE WIN AWAY FROM UPSETTING THE NO. 1 SEED 🤯🚨
While Banchero, Wagner, and the Magic found a way to get going in Game 4, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and the Pistons once again put together a disappointing performance that now sees them facing a big hole in the first round.
The Magic previously had a 3-1 series lead over the Pistons in 2003, a series that they ended up losing in Game 7.
Magic vs Pistons Game 4
The Magic came way with a tight win on Monday night. It was a contest the Pistons needed to grab, but it slipped away in the final minutes.
After the game, much of the focus was on the Cunningham-led Detroit squad. He finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and eight turnovers, his third game in a row giving the ball up at least seven times.
As a team, the Pistons shot just 38% from the field and 20% from three, and while the Magic went a similar 33% from the field and 26% from deep, they won the rebounding and turnover battle.
While Tobias Harris had 20 points on 8/17 shooting, he and Cunningham were the only two Detroit players who finished with more than 15 points. Duren had just 12 points and eight rebounds, and he was a target of criticism after the loss. He was also on the bad end of a Jamal Cain dunk, which has since gone viral.
DUNK OF THE PLAYOFFS??
Isaiah Stewart had eight blocks, which is the second most in a playoff game by someone coming off the bench, but in what was a rock fight of a game, it wasn’t enough to help boost the rest of the roster over the eighth seed.
Overall, it was a tough night for the Pistons, who could have desperately used a win after what has been an unsettling series for them as a whole.
As for the Magic, they saw Wagner go down with an injury in the middle of the game. Instead, Bane and Banchero stepped up, combining for 40 points. Carter also had another strong game, now arguably outplaying Duren through most of the series.
20+ PTS 5+ 3PM
It may not have been the cleanest game, but it’s the type of matchup this Magic group is built to win with their defense. Now, they have the chance to do what only a few teams in NBA history have ever accomplished, beating a number one seed as an eighth seed in the first round.
The crucial Game 5 of the Magic vs Pistons series comes on Wednesday, April 29, at 7 pm EST and live on Amazon Prime Video.
NBA World Reacts To Orlando Magic Taking 3-1 Playoff Lead Over Pistons