It's hard to believe what the Orlando Magic did tonight

For any of you who watched the first half of Game 6 between the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks, well, you saw something similar in the second half between the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons inside Kia Center.

It was a tale of two halves, where the Pistons outscored the Magic 55-19 exiting halftime. We're going to get into more mind-numbingly crazy numbers from the Pistons' 93-79 win to force Game 7.

Here are our takeaways!

The same game, but exactly two months later:

Magic Pistons — May 1, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Detroit Pistons guard-forward Ausar Thompson (9) dribbles the ball against Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) in the second quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

We mentioned the Hawks-Knicks Game 6. But this game was quite reminiscent of a March meeting between the Pistons and Magic, which was also in Orlando.

While it didn't lead by as many as 24 in that game (biggest lead was nine), the Pistons imposed their will, got out in transition and took the Magic completely out of rhythm. They outscored the Magic by 21 in the second half in that meeting.

You could re-write a similar story for Game 6. It's not apples-to-apples, but a similar plot.

Although the climax was much more poignant. This collapse was 1000x worse. There's no argument about that.

23:

This is how many straight-shots the Magic missed.

Yes, Twenty Three ... TWENTY THREE ... in the year of our lord 2026. In a playoff game!

That included 14 to begin the fourth quarter; nine of those attempts were 3-pointers. Their first field goal in the final period, which was a wide-open, "we'll finally let you have one" Paolo Banchero dunk with 2:24 left, when the game was completely out of reach.

This cataclysmic streak lasted nearly 14 minutes. In between those two made baskets, the Pistons outscored Orlando 35-5, leading to them completing their largest comeback win in franchise history. Cade Cunningham had more points in the second half (24) than the entire Magic team (19).

It was another disastrous collapse in what's been an otherwise disappointing season.

Magic settled WAY too much:

I don't typically use all caps, but it was necessary here.

Orlando was desperate, shell-shocked and simultaneously confused offensively after shooting 56.1 percent in the first half, including 61.9 percent in the second quarter.

Cade Cunningham: 19 PTS in the 4th Quarter
Orlando Magic: 19 PTS in the 2nd Half

Insane. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/GzTD3CTztx
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) May 2, 2026

Once the floodgates opened for Detroit, the Magic were exclusively settling for early-clock threes. Their shot selection was abhorrent, implausibly losing all sense for trying to get to the paint and free throw line. They looked like they had never played together before.

A total of 18 of the Magic's 37 attempts in the second were threes with only two makes. For the NBA's fourth-worst 3-point shooting team, that's incomprehensibly bad judgment.

And so.....

DETROIT ERASES A 24-POINT DEFICIT ON THE ROAD TO WIN GAME 6 AND FORCE GAME 7 🚨

LARGEST ROAD COMEBACK IN A POSTSEASON ELIMINATION GAME IN THE PLAY-BY-PLAY ERA! pic.twitter.com/tzhsjasTwq
— NBA (@NBA) May 2, 2026

Well, now we have a Game 7:

Game 7.

The two greatest words in sports, except if you're having to travel on the road after blowing a 24-point second-half lead at home.

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