Pistons Overcome Historic 24-Point Deficit To Force Game 7 Against Magic

Orlando led 60-38 at halftime and pushed its advantage to 62-38 early in the third quarter. The Magic missed 23 consecutive field goal attempts, Detroit went on a 35-5 run, and Orlando finished the second half shooting 11 on 4-of-37 attempts, the worst field goal percentage by any team in any half during the play-by-play era dating to 1997-98, according to ESPN Research. The Magic became the first team since 1996-97 to lose a home game after leading by at least 24 points with a chance to clinch a series. Detroit grit, Cunningham said. That's what we've been talking about all year. Orlando had outscored Detroit 35-12 in the second quarter, including a 17-0 advantage from three-point range and the free throw line. We took each possession at a time, both offensively and defensively, and tried our best to execute on every single possession, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. Every screening action, every rebound, all the small things. We went out and focused on that. And we put ourselves in position to win. When things get sideways, people splinter. And this group does the opposite, Duncan Robinson said. It finds a way to just come together. There's a lot of pride in that locker room, not wanting to go out like that. Tobias Harris added 22 points for Detroit. Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 17 for Orlando, which is now 0-2 in closeout chances this series and remains without injured forward Franz Wagner. We've got to go do it the hard way, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.