Explore the latest developments concerning 2026 Playoffs: West.
2026 Playoffs: West First Round | DEN (3) vs. MIN (6)
Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray combine for 55-18-18 while Denver dominates the middle quarters to win Game 1.
Pistons play Magic in NBA playoffs, shooting to start a run that many don't expect
The Detroit Pistons have rebuilt their franchise in two years, coming back from one of the worst stretches in NBA history to earn top seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Oddsmakers, though, are not expecting them to make a deep run,
The Pistons trail Boston, Cleveland and New York as favorites to win the East and are behind six teams in the league projected to win the NBA championship.
"We've always been underdogs," Pistons power forward Isaiah Stewart said. "We're still hunting. We like that."
Detroit will host the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic at home on Sunday night.
The Pistons have not opened a postseason series at home since 2008, which is also the last year they advanced in the playoffs and the last time they won a playoff game in the Motor City.
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Detroit Pistons to face Orlando Magic in 2026 NBA playoffs first round
They will host the Orlando Magic when the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs tips off on Sunday, April 19 (6:30 p.m., NBC) The Magic defeated the Hornets in the Eastern Conference 8-seed game in the play-in tournament on Friday.
The top-seeded Pistons are marching into the playoffs with a 60-22 record – the third-best in franchise history – and winners of 15 of their final 19 regular-season games. They split the season series with the Magic, 2-2 (though one of the games came in NBA Cup play).
Detroit took games in October and March, and Orlando won in November (in the NBA Cup tournament) and April. Their most recent matchup came on April 6, as the Magic prevailed, 123-107, over a Pistons lineup that was missing Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris. Desmond Bane, picked up in the offseason from Memphis, did most of the damage for the Magic, as he averaged 22.8 points, five rebounds and three assists. That included a 37-point outing on Nov. 28 in Detroit in which he shot 13-for-25 at Little Caesars Arena.
For more detailed information, explore updates concerning 2026 Playoffs: West.
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