We’re tracking Pistons vs Magic live score updates in Game 2 of the NBA playoffs.
The Detroit Pistons are back in playoff action.
The 1-seed Pistons play the 8-seed Orlando Magic on Wednesday, April 22, in Game 2 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The game can be seen on the TV channel ESPN, with streaming available on Fubo.
The game was tied 46-46 at halftime. Cade Cunningham is the lone Piston in double-figure scoring (15). Jalen Suggs leads Orlando with 15 points and Paolo Banchero has 11 points and five assists.
The Magic beat the Pistons 112-101 in Game 1 on Sunday night, taking a surprise 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Pistons want to snap an NBA-record 11-game home playoff losing streak, including 0-6 all-time at LCA, dating back to the 2008 East finals against the Boston Celtics − 6,540 days since their last home playoff win.
Watch the NBA playoffs on Fubo
We have all the live updates from Magic-Pistons Game 2 at LCA right here.
Pistons vs Magic Game 2 live updates
HALF: Pistons 46, Magic 46.
A Jalen Duren bucket out of the timeout gave the Pistons a 39-37 lead. The Magic tied the game at 46-46 after two free throws from Franz Wagner, and the Pistons couldn’t untie it after turning the ball over on their final possession of the half.
The story of this game so far has been shooting. Neither team seems to be able to find the basket in any measure, with the Magic shooting just 30.8% from the field and the Pistons shooting just 2-for-6 from the free-throw line. Both teams are shooting under 30% from the 3-point line, while the Magic haven’t could be doing better from the free-throw line, shooting 12-of-19 so far.
Pistons star Cade Cunningham and Magic guard Jalen Suggs lead all scorers with 15 points. Magic star Paolo Banchero is the only other scorer in double figures with 11 points.
2Q, 2:53: Pistons 37, Magic 37.
Pistons forward Ausar Thompson got his third foul on a moving screen with five minutes left in the quarter, sending him to the bench. Two free throws from Magic star Paolo Banchero then brought the Magic to within one point.
A 3-pointer from Magic guard Jalen Suggs tied the game at 35-35 with about four minutes left in the half, but Pistons star Cade Cunningham responded by drawing a shooting foul at the rim and sinking a free throw, Detroit’s first of the game. Banchero’s layup then gave the Magic a one-point lead before Cunningham tied it up once again with a free throw on the next possession.
2Q, 6:46: Pistons 33, Magic 30.
Back-to-back buckets from bench players Caris LeVert and Daniss Jenkins opened up the second quarter, extending the Pistons led to 29-21. Nine Pistons now have scored so far this game, but center Jalen Duren didn’t get on the scoreboard until five minutes had passed in the second quarter.
Orlando then went on a 6-2 run to cut Detroit’s lead to four points, while an impressive defensive stand from Ron Holland led to a shot-clock violation and kept Detroit’s lead intact.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff was spotted courtside at LCA and shown on the jumbotron. Sadly, the “Ja-red Goff” chants were pretty minimal as the Pistons returned to action shortly after.
End 1Q: Pistons 25, Magic 21.
The Magic took their first lead of the game on a layup from guard Anthony Black, taking a 21-20 advantage with under two minutes in the quarter. But back-to-back baskets from bench players Isiah Stewart and Kevin Hurter, the second a 3-pointer, gave the Pistons a 25-21 lead
The Pistons have been outshooting the Magic, who are just 26.9% from the floor. But a big differentiator has been the free-throw disparity, with the Magic making six of nine free throws and the Pistons going 0-for-2 from the line. The Magic also have seven offensive rebounds to the Pistons three, leading to multiple second-chance point opportunities.
1Q, 2:54: Pistons 20, Magic 19.
Pistons star Cade Cunningham scored back-to-back buckets out of the timeout, one on a fadeaway midrange jumper and another on a breakaway dunk that gave the Pistons an 18-11 lead. He leads all scorers with seven points so far in the game.
The Magic came within one point of tying after two free throws from Goga Bitadze, but Cunningham responded with a thunderous dunk. A jumper from Magic star Paolo Banchero brings the Pistons lead down to one point before the second timeout.
Dusty May, Elliot Cadeau, Trey McKenney and a few other members of the 2025-26 national champion Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team are in the house, with Cadeau hoisting the championship trophy.
1Q, 6:42: Pistons 14, Magic 7.
The first points of the game came courtesy of Pistons forward Tobias Harris, who put back a missed 3-point shot from Duncan Robinson (and then blocked a Wendell Carter Jr. shot on the next possession). Star Cade Cunningham followed with a three-pointer to give the Pistons an early 5-0 lead.
A Jalen Suggs layup tied the game at 7-7 four minutes into the quarter, but the Pistons responded with an alley-oop from center Jalen Duren to forward Ausar Thompson to retake the lead. Harris has two blocks so far in the quarter (Detroit has five overall), one leading to a Robinson 3-pointer. A fastbreak dunk from Harris on the next possession gave the Pistons a 14-7 lead, leading to an Orlando timeout.
Pistons in-arena host Kevin Irwin II, known as KevKnows, gave his pregame hype speech to Pistons fans, imploring them to wear the white shirts provided to them on the seats (we’ll see if that actually happens).
Check out our article on KevKnows, which goes into his background as a native Detroiter and his growing celebrity across the city.
No surprises from either side with their starting lineups.
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson was announced as the winner of the 2025-26 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, getting 63 out of 100 first-place votes and beating out finalists Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat and former Piston Tim Hardaway Jr., now playing for the Denver Nuggets.
Pistons center Isaiah Stewart finished in seventh place, getting exactly one first-place vote and one third-place vote. Stewart averaged 10 points per game and a career-high 1.6 blocks per game over 58 games for Detroit this season.
We’re about 60 minutes away from the scheduled tipoff, and a few players have begun shootaround, most notably Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane and forward Paolo Banchero.
No changes from yesterday, with no one listed on Detroit’s injury report.
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff addressed the media ahead of Game 2, explaining what ultimately led to an unexpected loss in Game 1.
“I don’t consider what happened a lack of effort, it just seemed to be that we were a little bit off,” he said. “We’ve consistently been way better than that, so I don’t expect it to repeat itself … it was one bad night.”
Bickerstaff said he expected the team’s “high level” to show up for Game 2.
We’re about 20 minutes away from fans being let into the building, with the seats at Little Caesars Arena draped in white giveaway shirts.
Will Pistons fans wear them? Based on the past two playoff appearances, probably not.
Pistons vs Magic start time in Game 2 of playoffsDate: Wednesday, April 22.Time: 7 p.m. ET.Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.Pistons vs Magic channel in Game 2 of playoffs
Wednesday’s Game 2 between the Pistons and Magic can be watched on ESPN and streamed on Fubo, which carries ABC and ESPN.
Watch Pistons vs Magic Game 2 on Fubo
Pistons vs Magic odds in Game 2 of playoffs
The Pistons are big favorites again in Game 2 against the Magic:
Spread: Pistons by 8½ points.Over/under: 218½ points.Moneyline: ORL (+310), DET (-400).
Odds provided by BetMGM as of Wednesday afternoon.
Pistons injury report Game 2
Updates from the official NBA injury report.
Magic injury report Game 2OUT: F Jonathan Isaac (knee).Pistons uniform Game 2 vs Magic
It’s the same as Game 1: The Pistons will wear their white uniform, while the Magic will wear their Statement Edition black uniforms with white pinstripes and blue across the shoulders.
Pistons vs Magic playoff schedule
Here’s the first-round schedule for the best-of-seven series:
Game 1: Magic, 112-101.Game 2, Wednesday: Magic at Pistons, 7 p.m., ESPN/Fubo.Game 3, Saturday: Pistons at Magic, 1 p.m., Peacock.Game 4, Monday, April 27: Pistons at Magic, 8 p.m., NBC/Peacock.Game 5, Wednesday, April 29: Magic at Pistons, TBD (if necessary).Game 6, Friday, May 1: Pistons at Magic, TBD (if necessary).Game 7, Sunday, May 3: Magic at Pistons, TBD (if necessary).Who will Pistons play if they beat Magic?
The NBA does not re-seed after the first round of the playoffs, meaning the winner of the 1-8 series (Pistons-Magic) will face the winner of the 4-5 series (Cleveland Cavaliers-Toronto Raptors; Cavs lead, 2-0).
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.