The Detroit Pistons put it all together during their recent 135-116 victory over the Orlando Magic. It was a brilliant display from a rotation that has experienced its share of ups and downs through five games, but ultimately found its footing in a powerful display.
Cade Cunningham stole headlines with his superstar stat line, but it was a true team effort that reflected how legitimate Detroit's dreams of finally winning a playoff series truly are.
2026 will mark 18 long years since the Pistons last won a postseason series. To make matters worse, it'll have been 18 years since Detroit ended one of the most successful periods a franchise has experienced in recent NBA history.
The Pistons reached the Eastern Conference Finals or NBA Finals in every season between 2002-03 and 2007-08, winning an iconic championship in 2003-04.
Unfortunately, that stretch of success has been followed by a 17-year period in which Detroit has made the playoffs just four times. Thankfully, it ended a six-year postseason drought in 2024-25 and won its first playoff games in 17 years.
Following a strong offseason, the Pistons have built a team that has all of the tools to win a playoff series in 2025-26—a truth that was on firm display in their most recent outing.
Pistons finally have the personnel to win first playoff series since 2008
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Detroit's win over Orlando was the proverbial perfect storm. Cunningham [played like a superstar](https://pistonpowered.com/cade-cunningham-faces-a-daunting-task-that-only-superstars-can-overcome) of the highest order, turning in 30 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, three blocks, and three steals while shooting 12-of-24 from the field and 5-of-5 at the charity stripe.
Tobias Harris added 23 points of his own and Jalen Duren [finished with 21 points](https://pistonpowered.com/jalen-duren-leap-unlocks-new-reality-detroit-pistons), 13 rebounds, six offensive boards, two assists, and a block.
Ausar Thompson delivered the latest in a growing line of thrilling all-around performances, as well. He tallied 12 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, five offensive boards, one block, and a steal, overcoming a poor shooting performance to contribute in every other phase of the game.
Duncan Robinson rounded a stellar showing from the starting lineup into form with 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists, shooting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
What made the Pistons' performance so enticing, however, was the fact that it wasn't just the usual suspects who put it all together. Ronald Holland II added 10 points and three steals off the bench, and Javonte Green and Isaiah Stewart scored nine points apiece.
With six players in double figures and 34 points from the second unit, the Pistons put together the type of performance that should have the rest of the NBA buzzing about their potential.
Pistons still don't have Jaden Ivey or Marcus Sasser
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It's impossible to evaluate Detroit without factoring in the eventual return of Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser to the rotation. Ivey missed the final 49 games of the 2024-25 regular season after suffering a fibula injury and underwent right knee surgery just as the 2025-26 campaign was about to tip off.
At the time of his injury in 2024-25, however, Ivey was producing in a way that had many pondering if he could be the second star the franchise has long needed.
Ivey, 23, finished the 2025-26 season averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.1 three-point field goals made on .460/.409/.733 shooting. He was making clear strides toward tapping into the potential that made him the No. 5 overall selection in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Detroit should soon have Ivey back in the rotation and will also be adding Sasser, who shot at a clip of .463/.382/.843 in 2024-25.
If the Pistons' current form holds, then it should be able to incorporate Ivey and Sasser back into the rotation and take a massive step toward contending. At the very least, a team that already won two playoff games in 2024-25 should be able to position itself to finally advance to the second round again.
It's been a long time coming, but decades of pain may finally be rewarded with the success that Pistons fans have been dreaming of in 2025-26.