Cunningham, Banchero Put On Show With 45-points A Piece, But Pistons Rally Around Star To Get Critical Win

It took five games, but the Detroit Pistons found their offense — just in time to extend their season.

That started, as it has all year long, with Cade Cunningham, who dropped 45 points on 13-of-23 shooting. Except he wasn't alone — Orlando's Paolo Banchero matched him shot-for-shot and scored 45 as well, including six 3-pointers. It was an epic showdown between the back-to-back No. 1 picks.

Cunningham got more help in Game 5 than he has all series — the Pistons played with the desperation of a team trying to stave off elimination. Tobias Harris added 23, but the real key was the Pistons finally shot the ball well as a team — 48.8% overall and 35.7% from beyond the arc. A Detroit team that had an offensive rating below a point per possession through the first four games showed out, posting a 119.6 offensive rating in Game 5.

The result was Detroit never trailing and hanging on at the end for a 116-109 victory at home, forcing a Game 6 in Detroit on Friday night. No. 8 seed Orlando still has a 3-2 series lead and will look to close out the series at home, but there is life in the No. 1-seeded Pistons.

Game 5 was just different than the series up to this point.

Through four games, this series resembled a rock fight classic Eastern Conference playoff basketball, then Game 5 was an offensive explosion. For both teams.

Detroit had the ninth-best offense in the NBA in the regular season, and it looked like it on Friday night, in large part because Cunningham finally got some help. He also put up 27 in the first half, including eight from the free throw line. Jalen Duren looked better than he has this postseason with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Duncan Robinson added a dozen as well.

As good as things were going, the Magic were always within striking distance thanks to Banchero, and despite Franz Wagner being out with a strained calf (his status for Game 6 is unknown).

Anthony Black scored 19 off the bench for the Magic, and Desmond Bane had another strong game with 18 points. As a team, the Magic shot 44.7% from beyond the arc and recorded their best offensive rating of the series at 113.

It just wasn't enough because of Cunningham. Orlando will look to get a few more stops at home on Friday night.