Magic Defeat Pistons 113-105, Take 2-1 Lead

ORLANDO, Fla. The Orlando Magic overcame a late collapse to defeat the Detroit Pistons 113-105 on Saturday, securing a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at the Kia Center.

The eighth-seeded Magic built a 17-point advantage in the fourth quarter but saw Detroit mount a furious 26-8 run over six minutes to seize a 105-104 lead on a free throw by Cade Cunningham with 2:52 remaining. Orlando responded decisively, outscoring the Pistons 9-0 in the final 2:51 to seal the victory and regain control of the series. Game 4 is set for Monday night in Orlando.

Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 25 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, nearly recording a triple-double. He also hit the game-sealing 3-pointer with 40 seconds left, a shot that banked high off the rim before dropping through. "We did a good job of staying poised, not getting rattled," Banchero said. "Very composed from the team, and we got the job done." Desmond Bane added 25 points, Franz Wagner scored 17, Jalen Suggs contributed 15 and Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds.

Cunningham paced Detroit with 27 points and nine assists, while Tobias Harris added 23. The top-seeded...