Pistons Stave Off Elimination As Cade Cunningham Scores 45 In Game 5 Against Magic

Cade Cunningham, Jabari Smith Jr. and Dennis Schroder delivered standout performances as three NBA playoff series tightened. Detroit stayed alive against Orlando, Houston dragged the Lakers back to Texas, and Cleveland edged ahead of Toronto. Each matchup turned on late-game swings, with home crowds tense and momentum shifting repeatedly in Wednesday’s set of high-pressure contests.

Across the night, stars traded baskets and series leads shifted, but no team closed out. Cunningham and Paolo Banchero exchanged 45-point efforts in Detroit. In Los Angeles, Houston continued a fightback after falling behind 0-3, a situation no NBA team has overcome, while Cleveland outlasted an injury-hit Toronto lineup to move one win from advancing.

The Houston Rockets extended their first-round series by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 99-93, forcing Game 6. Houston had trailed 0-3 after a collapse in Game 3, then responded with a home win in Game 4. The road victory on Wednesday sent the matchup back to Houston, where the Rockets again try to stay alive against a Lakers team still holding the advantage.

Los Angeles built a double-digit lead late in the opening quarter, but Houston quickly answered. A 17-6 run flipped the scoreboard, and the Rockets later stretched the margin to 13 points in the fourth quarter. The Lakers crowd surged when a LeBron James layup capped an 11-1 burst, trimming Houston’s advantage to 88-85 with 2:59 remaining.

Reed Sheppard steadied Houston with a mid-range jumper that halted the Lakers surge. On the next possession, Sheppard stole the ball from James and finished a fast-break dunk, restoring control. Trailing by four in the final seconds, Los Angeles saw its final chance disappear when James’ three-point attempt hit the front rim with 12 seconds left.

Jabari Smith Jr. led Houston with 22 points, while Alperen Sengun nearly claimed a triple-double. Sengun produced 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Tari Eason added 18 points. James finished with 25 points and seven assists for Los Angeles. Austin Reaves, returning after four weeks out with a back problem, contributed 22 points and six assists in 34 bench minutes.

Cade Cunningham powered the Detroit Pistons to a 116-109 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5, avoiding elimination. Cunningham scored 45 points, setting a franchise playoff single-game record. Orlando again missed Franz Wagner, sidelined by a calf strain, but the Magic still carry the series lead and can finish the matchup in Game 6 on Friday in Orlando.

Detroit held a double-digit cushion for much of the fourth quarter before Orlando rallied. The Magic chipped away until Banchero drilled a three-pointer, trimming the deficit to 112-109 with 1:09 remaining. Little Caesars Arena grew tense when Tobias Harris missed a jumper, but Ausar Thompson secured the offensive rebound and Cunningham hit a mid-range jumper for a 114-109 edge that effectively settled matters.

Cunningham shot 13-of-23 from the field, including 5-of-8 from three-point range, and converted all 14 free throws. Harris added 23 points and eight rebounds, while Thompson delivered 15 rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocks. Detroit turned the ball over 17 times but grabbed 16 offensive rebounds. Banchero matched Cunningham’s scoring with 45 points, just one short of Orlando’s playoff record, while Anthony Black and Desmond Bane scored 19 and 18 respectively.

NBA playoffs Game 5 clash between Cavaliers and Raptors

The Cleveland Cavaliers moved ahead 3-2 in their series with a 125-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. The home side has now won every game, giving Cleveland a narrow edge before Game 6 in Toronto on Friday. The decisive spell came in the fourth quarter, when the Cavaliers produced an 11-2 run that finally separated the teams.

Dennis Schroder was central to that surge, scoring seven points during the key stretch and 11 overall in the fourth quarter. Schroder had not reached double figures in any earlier game of the series but finished this one with 19 points. Schroder shot 7-of-11 from the field and made three three-pointers, giving Cleveland timely perimeter scoring.

Evan Mobley and James Harden both collected 23 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, while Donovan Mitchell added 19 points. Toronto’s rotation was disrupted when All-Star forward Brandon Ingram logged only 11 minutes before leaving with right heel inflammation, an issue lingering for weeks. Scottie Barnes also appeared uncomfortable after taking a knee to the leg and a poke to the eye in the paint.

With Toronto’s All-Stars limited, RJ Barrett stepped forward, posting 25 points and 12 rebounds in extended minutes. Barnes still contributed across the box score, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists and three blocks. The result leaves Cleveland one win from progressing, while Toronto, Orlando and the Lakers all face pressure games later in the week as the NBA playoffs continue to tighten.