It’s the two best words in all of sports, “Game 7,” and on Sunday, we get a double dose of playoff basketball theatrics in the East.
Starting things off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC is the 1 vs. 8 matchup between the Magic and Pistons, where Cade Cunningham’s herculean efforts in Games 5 and 6 have propelled Detroit back to life, after being down 1-3.
Let’s break down the Magic and Pistons, as Detroit enters 8.5-point favorites on the spread, per BetMGM Sportsbook.
Regardless of the outcome here, history will be made.
Orlando was on the cusp of being the seventh No. 8 seed in NBA history to win a playoff series over a No. 1 seed and can still do so with a win, but they are in a downward spiral, coughing up a 24-point lead in Game 6 and squandering any sort of momentum they once had up 3-1.
To make matters worse, starting forward Franz Wagner, who has done a great job guarding Cunningham, has been ruled out once again.
Paolo Banchero did manage to erupt for 45 points in Game 5, but struggled mightily, posting a 4-for-20 shooting display from the field, including a 0-for-9 from 3-point range in Game 6.
The poor shooting of their primary option is a microcosm of the team as it enters Sunday.
Orlando’s 46.2 effective field goal percentage is ranked the worst among all 16 teams from the first round per NBA Advanced Stats, even below the Rockets, Nuggets, Hawks, and Blazers, who all have already been eliminated from the playoffs.
Jahmal Mosley’s team has reverted to its old self at the worst possible time, while the Pistons have newfound life.
Quietly, behind increased offensive production from veteran Tobias Harris and the lockdown defense of Ausar Thompson, key elements of Detroit’s 60-win regular-season team have started to reemerge.
The Pistons are also a plus-5 in rebounding per game, hustling to the boards faster and showing more grit on both ends of the floor.
Cunningham’s 32.8 points per game is the second-highest average in the postseason to reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
With a victory, they’ll join the 2003 Pistons as the last No. 1 seed to overcome a 1-3 deficit in the first round, and ironically enough, that also came against a No. 8 seed Magic team.
History will repeat itself on Sunday. I just don’t see the Magic overcoming their epic blunder, a 4-for-37 second-half shooting performance from Game 6.
The Pistons have the best player on the court and an ever-important homecourt advantage at their disposal.
The play: Pistons -8.5 (-110, BetMGM) | Cade Cunningham over 44.5 points, rebounds, or assists (-120, bet365)
Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
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