ORLANDO, Fla. -- Desmond Bane scored 22 points, Franz Wagner had 19 in three quarters and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 94-88 Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead, putting the East's No. 1 seed on the brink of elimination.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Detroit.
Orlando, which had to win an elimination game at home in the play-in tournament, is on the verge of becoming just the sevent...
This playoff upset in the making is a fascinating case study in narrative resilience and the fragility of regular-season dominance. The strongest version of this story—its steelman—highlights Orlando's defensive grit and composure under pressure, overcoming abysmal shooting through ball security and timely plays. The Magic's ability to win despite shooting 32.6% challenges the conventional wisdom that offense wins championships, suggesting that turnover differential and clutch execution can outw...