Historic collapse: Magic miss 23 consecutive shots as Pistons force Game 7

The top-seeded Detroit Pistons have forced a decisive seventh game against the Orlando Magic after mounting a historic comeback to defeat their opponents 93-79 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first-round series. The victory was defined by a dramatic second-half turnaround in which the Pistons erased a 24-point deficit to secure their place in the conference semifinals.

Detroit trailed by 22 points at halftime and saw the gap widen to 62-38 early in the third quarter before orchestrating a furious rally. During this comeback run, the Pistons outscored the Magic 35-5, shifting the momentum entirely and leaving the home crowd in Orlando's Kia Center booing as they departed. The game concluded with Cade Cunningham leading the Pistons with 32 points, while Tobias Harris added 22 to the total.

The Orlando Magic suffered a historic collapse in the second half, missing 23 consecutive field-goal attempts. According to ESPN Research, the Magic shot just 11 per cent from the field during this period, recording the worst field-goal percentage by any team in a regular season or playoff half in the play-by-play era since digital tracking began in 1997-98. Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 17 points for Orlando in the loss.

This result marks the first time since the 1996-97 season that a team has lost at home after leading by at least 24 points with a chance to win a series. The Magic have now become 0-2 in closeout opportunities in this series, ending their hopes of eliminating the Pistons before the series concluded.

The Pistons will host Game 7 on Sunday, with the series currently tied 3-3. This matchup represents the first quarterfinal series in the NBA playoffs where a number eight seed has eliminated a number one seed in the conference round since the 1996-97 season. Only 13 teams in NBA playoff history have overcome a deficit to force a Game 7 after trailing in the final quarter.