Magic take 3-1 lead over Pistons
- Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 94-88 in Game 4 on April 27, moving ahead 3-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series. - Desmond Bane scored 22 points and hit a late 3-pointer, while Orlando held Detroit to 17 fourth-quarter points at Kia Center. - The No. 8 seed Magic are one win from eliminating the No. 1 seed Pistons. (nba.com)
The Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 94-88 on Monday, April 27, and took a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series. (espn.com) Desmond Bane scored 22 points for Orlando and made a 3-pointer with 1:16 left after Detroit had cut the lead to three. (espn.com) (gmanetwork.com) Paolo Banchero added 20 points, and the Magic closed the game by holding the Pistons to 17 points in the fourth quarter. (cbssports.com) (nba.com) Detroit entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the East, while Orlando came in as the No. 8 seed. Orlando is now one win from one of the rare 8-over-1 upsets in National Basketball Association playoff history. (nytimes.com)) (espn.com) The series turned in Orlando after Detroit won Game 2 at home and then dropped Games 3 and 4 at Kia Center. Game 3 ended 113-105, and Game 4 finished 94-88. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) National Basketball Association.com said Cade Cunningham struggled to find openings in Game 4 as Orlando's defense kept shrinking the floor around him. (nba.com) Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, in Detroit, with Orlando trying to close the series on the road. If Detroit wins, Game 6 would be Friday, May 1, in Orlando. (nba.com) (espn.com) Orlando now heads back to Detroit needing one more win, and the Pistons return home facing elimination after back-to-back losses in Florida. (espn.com)
