This is another big game for the Detroit Pistons.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s team got a season-saving 116-109 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 at home on Wednesday, but that was just the start of their work to avoid a giant upset in the 2026 NBA playoffs.
The 1-seed Pistons must stay perfect for the rest of the series, continuing with Game 6 at Kia Center in Orlando against the 8-seed Magic at 7 p.m., in a game exclusively being streamed on Amazon’s Prime Video. There is no TV channel on cable.
Watch the NBA playoffs on Prime Video
If the Pistons are going to get the job done, they’ll likely need a similarly incredible effort from star Cade Cunningham, who led the team with a franchise playoff-record 45 points.
The Magic were missing second-leading scorer Franz Wagner, who was their best player defending Cunningham (7-for-22 as the primary defender) before injuring his calf late in the third quarter of Game 4. Wagner is out for Game 6.
The Magic still hold a 3-2 lead and only need one win to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, while the Pistons need to win Game 6 in Orlando and Game 7 in Detroit to advance.
If they were to pull off the comeback, the 2026 Pistons would become just the 14th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 playoff deficit. The franchise has already done it once before in 2003, as the 1-seed beating the 8-seed Magic, ironically.
With one more loss, the Pistons would make another kind of history, and not the kind they want: They would become just the seventh 1-seed in NBA playoff history to lose a first-round playoff series to an 8-seed, and just the third as a 60-win team in a best-of-seven series.
Shop Pistons tickets for potential Game 7/Game 1
There’s a lot on the line in this Game 6 for both the Pistons and Magic. Here’s everything you need to know, including the injury report, starting lineups, betting odds and more.
Do the Pistons play today?
Yes, they face the Magic in Orlando on Friday night.
When is Pistons next game?
The Pistons-Magic Game 6 matchup is set for Friday, May 1, at Kia Center in Orlando.
Pistons vs Magic time in Game 6
Pistons vs Magic channel in Game 6
Watch Pistons’ Game 6 on Prime Video
Pistons vs Magic odds for Game 6
The Pistons are a small favorite for Game 6 at Orlando:
Odds provided by BetMGM as of Friday morning.
Pistons injury report vs Magic in Game 6
Updates from the official NBA injury report.
Magic injury report vs Pistons in Game 6
Pistons vs Magic starting lineups today
Here’s the likely starting lineups for Game 6 of Magic vs. Pistons:
Pistons vs Magic uniforms for Game 6
The Pistons are sticking with their traditional white uniforms for the sixth straight game, while the Magic are going back to their “Statement Edition” uniforms – black with white pinstripes and “Magic” across the chest. Here’s the reason why the Pistons have worn white in every game of the series.
Pistons playoff schedule vs Magic series
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 Cavs lead, 3-2, with Game 6 on Friday night in Toronto. The home team has won every game thus far.
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Christian Romo contributed to this reporting.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What channel is Pistons vs Magic Game 6 today? Time, stream in playoffs
Reporting by Andrew Birkle, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
