The Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic renew their series in the 2026 NBA playoffs with Monday night’s Game 4 in Orlando. We’ll have live updates from the Magic vs. Pistons score at Kia Center.
The Pistons are in danger of becoming the third No. 1 seed in NBA history to win 60 games in the regular season, then lose a first-round best-of-seven series to the 8-seed.
The Magic-Pistons game can be watched on the TV channel NBC with a live stream on Peacock.
Orlando won on its home floor as the underdog Saturday afternoon, using a 9-0 run to clinch a 113-105 victory. Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 25 points in the win.
Cade Cunningham had his worst game of the series with nine turnovers, shooting just 8-for-23 with 27 points.
Watch Pistons-Magic Game 4 on Peacock
All-Star center Jalen Duren has been exposed through three games by Wendell Carter Jr. and the Magic, with the Pistons desperately needing a bounce-back from him and the team. Duren in the series is averaging nine points on 10-for-24 shooting (41.7%, he shot 65% during the regular season), 8.3 rebounds and 2.7 turnovers.
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The Pistons have been outplayed for most of the series, and need to turn up the intensity and focus from the tip Monday.
We have live updates from the Pistons vs. Magic game all night, with highlights and commentary.
Pistons vs Magic game score updates
Pistons up after one quarter
End 1Q: Pistons 27, Magic 26.
Pistons guard Javonte Green’s dunk after the timeout gave the Pistons their first lead of the game. Daniss Jenkins then made his first shot of the night on a layup and Caris LeVert followed with a block and a layup of his own (thanks to a goaltending call on Goga Bitadze), with the Pistons bench providing needed scoring at the end of the quarter.
A Bitadze layup and-one gave the Magic an opportunity to tie the game before the end of the quarter, but the big man missed the free throw, and the Pistons end the quarter with the lead.
The Pistons’ fortunes turned when they stopped turning the ball over, with 13 straight possessions to end the quarter without a turnover. Detroit also has four blocks this quarter, two from center Isaiah Stewart on back-to-back possessions. It truly was the ugliest start to a game the Pistons have had all year, and it didn’t take long for Detroit to seize the momentum back.
Pistons storm back with 11-2 run
1Q, 2:22: Magic 22, Pistons 21.
A Cade Cunningham 3-pointer gave him 10 points for the game and brought the Pistons to within three points of the Magic. On the next possession, Pistons center Jalen Duren rebounded a missed Cunningham shot and slammed it in.
It was all part of an 11-2 run, one that encompassed seven straight misses from the Magic (including some ugly 3-point attempts from Tristan da Silva). The Pistons are back in the game.
Pistons give up five straight turnovers
1Q, 4:57: Magic 21, Pistons 14.
The Pistons came out of the timeout with their fourth turnover in the first four minutes, this time on a Cade Cunningham drive to the basket that led to a steal for Magic guard Jalen Suggs. The fifth turnover came a possession later on a bad pass from forward Ausar Thompson. The sixth turnover came on a bad Cunningham pass. The seventh came on a Paolo Banchero steal on Cunningham.
The Magic, meanwhile, have just one turnover and 12 points off Detroit turnovers.
This game is already looking ugly for Detroit, even though it’s still within reach thanks to some quality defensive possessions and key buckets from Tobias Harris.
Magic up early
1Q, 9:15: Magic 12, Pistons 5.
The Pistons had a bad start with a Tobias Harris pass getting intercepted by Magic guard Desmond Bane, leading to a Wendell Carter 3-pointer. Bane then followed with a 3-pointer of his own and guard Franz Wagner made a tough layup one possession later, giving the Magic an early 8-0 lead.
A Harris circus shot fell and drew the and-one foul, stopping the bleeding, but Wagner used a pretty Eurostep to make it five possessions in a row with a basket for the Magic. Paolo Banchero’s two-handed dunk led to a Pistons timeout, as Detroit’s interior defense has been essentially nonexistent early on.
Magic are up big, and the game has just started.
Pistons Game 4 starting 5
The Pistons are rolling with the same starting 5 they have played for all three games of this series so far.
Magic Game 4 starting 5
No surprises with Orlando’s starting 5 ahead of Game 4.
Cade Cunningham warming up
Pistons star Cade Cunningham has been the best player in the series, averaging 31 points and eight assists per game through three games. He has also been somewhat of a liability possessing the ball, turning the ball over seven times in Game 2 and nine times in Game 3, a big reason for the Pistons’ Game 3 loss in Orlando.
These numbers aren’t that surprising that Cunningham turns the ball over more than most players in the NBA (finishing fourth in the league in turnovers per game behind Luka Dončić, Deni Avdija and Nikola Jokić), but Cunningham’s regular-season average of 3.7 turnovers per game was less than half of his Game 3 turnover count. If the Pistons want to advance, Cunningham may need to limit his turnovers, giving possession (and points) back to the Magic.
Our Pistons insider Omari Sankofa II caught video of Cunningham warming up before Game 4.
Pistons vs Magic uniforms in Game 4 of playoffs
The Pistons are sticking with their classic white uniforms for Game 4 as they did for the first three games of the series. The Magic are switching it up, however, going with their blue “Icon Edition” uniforms with white pinstripes and “Orlando” across the chest.
Kevin Huerter injury update
Pistons guard Kevin Huerter is still listed as questionable with left hip soreness on the pregame injury report.
Pistons vs Magic prediction in Game 4 of playoffs
Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press: The Pistons have yet to submit a complete effort in the playoffs. Despite that, no game has gotten away from them. A 17-point deficit dissipated quickly in the fourth quarter once Cunningham locked in, and the team rallied behind him. With their backs against the wall, they’ve consistently responded this season and should do so on Monday in Game 4 as well.
The pick: Pistons 101, Magic 94.
Pistons vs Magic time in Game 4 of playoffs
Pistons vs Magic channel in Game 4 of playoffs
Monday’s Game 4 against the Magic can be watched on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
[ Pistons’ biggest enemy in playoffs? It’s themselves, as self-inflicted wounds pile up ]
Pistons vs Magic starting lineups today
Here’s the projected starting lineups for Game 4 of Magic vs. Pistons:
Pistons injury report vs Magic in Game 4
Updates from the official NBA injury report.
Magic injury report vs Pistons in Game 4
Pistons vs Magic odds, spread in Game 4
The betting odds give the Pistons an advantage on the road once again:
Odds provided by BetMGM as of Monday afternoon.
Read more below
Pistons vs Magic schedule in playoffs
Here’s the Pistons-Magic schedule for the playoff series in the first round:
Who will Pistons-Magic winner play in next round?
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 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The series is tied, 2-2, with Game 5 on Tuesday night in Cleveland.
Marlowe Alter is an Assistant Sports Editor at the Detroit Free Press. Email him at: malter@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons vs Magic channel, time and live updates for Game 4
Reporting by Marlowe Alter and Christian Romo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
