One key area of improvement needed as Pistons' NBA Cup dreams ended by Orlando

With 4.7 seconds left, Cade Cunningham’s intentionally missed free throw fell perfectly back to him, as he set up Duncan Robinson for the perfect chance to try and force overtime.

However, Anthony Black launched himself to get fingertips to Robinson’s attempt and seal the Detroit Pistons’ fate, as they went down 112-109 to the Orlando Magic in their win-or-go-home NBA Cup clash on Friday night.

A cruel end for the Pistons, who have now lost back-to-back games after previously winning a franchise-tying 13 straight. The loss ended the Pistons’ chances of reaching the NBA Cup quarterfinals, finishing with a 2-2 record.

It also highlighted an area of concern stemming from the Pistons’ struggles to make shots when their cornerstone, Cunningham, isn’t taking them.

Cunningham had a triple-double of 39 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists to lead Detroit, helped by 18 points from Tobias Harris and a double-double of 16 points and 12 boards from Jalen Duren.

Cade with the step back middy 🔥

He has a 30-piece through three quarters pic.twitter.com/1c1SFBYW61
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) November 29, 2025

They were the only Pistons players to score in double figures, with Robinson’s missed last-ditch attempt leaving him with nine points on a woeful 3-for-12 shooting night.

Detroit shot 37-for-84 from the floor with 26 of those coming from Cunningham. There are opportunities, but the others couldn’t connect. Robinson and Harris were the only players who stepped up to take more than ten field goal attempts.

As the team has returned to better health over the last few weeks, coach J.B. Bickerstaff has spread the minutes around. However, they need to produce.

"It’s kind of a work in progress there with bringing guys back, who’s going to play in those minutes when Cade is out of the game, and then figuring out the offensive identity of that group and how we can continue to play faster, but we can move teams around," Bickerstaff said.

"Our stops have to help us so we can get out and run because that group should be pretty athletic and pretty fast. We’re working on it, and guys will get more comfortable in their roles, and guys will get more comfortable in our rotations."

Desmond Bane's three-point play with 2:11 left gave the Magic a 108-106 lead, and Franz Wagner followed to make it a four-point game. Harris hit a three-pointer, and the Pistons got a necessary stop. However, Cunningham committed his eighth turnover with 1:03 to play.

There were hopes for the Pistons when Wagner failed to connect on two triples, but Bane collected two offensive boards to keep the possessions alive for Orlando.

Jalen Suggs iced two free throws, and the Magic then fouled Cunningham with 4.7 to go. The first part of the plan worked. But Robinson’s three-point attempt on the buzzer – did not.

Heartbreak again, though, for the Pistons, who failed to close out a game on back-to-back occasions, having been near-unstoppable so far this season.

Bane scored 37 points for the Magic, who top Group B in the East with a 4-0 mark.