Wednesday night wasn’t the loudest Little Caesars Arena has ever been for a Detroit Pistons game.
Game 6 of their first-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks last season was probably louder, and Game 3 against the Knicks − the first home playoff game in six years − was certainly louder.
But the Pistons gave their fans plenty of reasons to pop up on multiple occasions in their 98-83 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series on Wednesday, April 22. The win tied the series at 1-1, giving the Pistons a chance to take the series lead when Game 3 tips off in Orlando on Saturday afternoon.
This was the first Pistons playoff win in LCA’s 10-year history (1-6 now), and the Pistons’ first home playoff win since 2008 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, snapping an NBA-record 11-game home playoff losing streak.
The Pistons got another star performance from point guard Cade Cunningham, who turned in a 27-point, 11-assist showcase, and was the catalyst for a 30-3 run to start the third quarter.
But unlike in Game 1, Cunningham wasn’t the only Piston to show out, with five others finishing with double figures in scoring in Game 2.
And far from the star players making highlight-reel plays, most of the night’s loudest moments came with role players in the spotlight.
Here are the five loudest moments from an often ear-splitting night at LCA from Game 2:
Cade Cunningham and-one layup
Make no mistake – Cunningham was the Pistons’ best player on the night, taking a scoring load while also distributing effectively and making champion-level plays on defense. An example: This steal that led to a tough transition layup around three defenders (plus the and-one foul).
“He’s a matchup nightmare for people that takes multiple bodies to stop him,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Cunningham postgame. “He’s embraced the moment. He’s leading us the way he needs to.”
The Pistons’ third-quarter run was 8-0 at that point, and it wouldn’t stop there, with Detroit soon taking a 27-point lead over Orlando after entering the half tied at 46. But while it may have been the most skillful play of the night, it did not get the loudest ovation.
Duncan Robinson side-step 3-pointer
Midway through the third quarter, Robinson took a Cunningham pass off a nice set play on the right wing, pump-faked Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. and stepped back over the line for a 3-pointer that gave the Pistons a 64-49 lead. It turned out to be the dagger of the game as the Magic called timeout to reset.
Robinson was the last of six Pistons players to score in double figures, demonstrating the all-around performance from Game 2 the Pistons were missing in Game 1. And though they struggled overall from 3-point land shooting 6-for-26 (23.1%), Robinson splashed three key 3-pointers that kept the Pistons offense flowing.
Ausar Thompson steal and slam
Seconds after Robinson’s second 3-pointer in a minute, Thompson stole the ball from Magic guard Jalen Suggs at midcourt, raced to the basket and finished with a thunderous two-handed dunk. By decibel level, this may have been the loudest moment of the game.
Thompson, who on Monday learned he finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, rebounded in a big way in Game 2 with 11 points, eight rebounds, two steals and a block … and one arena-shaking dunk that certainly met the moment.
Isaiah Stewart block on Jalen Suggs
Stewart’s fourth-quarter block on a Paolo Banchero dunk attempt got more attention, but his earlier block on Suggs got the crowd going even more, with Stewart erasing Suggs at the rim in the manner Stewart has done throughout his Pistons career.
Stewart put up 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks off the bench, putting his body in harm’s way with two highlight-reel plays.
“It’s just having no fear,” Stewart said afterward. “I’m not going to tell you my secrets, but it’s just something you got to have an edge for. And you know, you got to be okay with putting your body on the line.”
Isiah Thomas ovation
Perhaps the loudest moment of the night didn’t come from a play at all, but from a Pistons legend showing love to the crowd.
Game 2 featured several cameos from luminaries, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, former Pistons legends Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton and members of the newly crowned Michigan men’s basketball national championship team.
But the loudest ovation was for the franchise’s best-ever player, Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas (fittingly one of the most stylish fans in the arena).
Pistons fans are hoping for a playoff run much like the ones Wallace, Hamilton and Thomas led for their respective teams. It’s something Little Caesars Arena hasn’t seen since the Pistons moved here in 2016, but if these Pistons play all postseason like they did in Game 2, LCA will only get louder.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 5 loudest moments from Pistons’ electric Game 2 playoff win vs Magic
Reporting by Christian Romo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
