ORLANDO − Oakland University’s Jamal Cain and the Orlando Magic have the 60-win Detroit Pistons on the brink of stunning NBA playoff elimination.
Cain, the 27-year-old bench wing from Pontiac who went undrafted after transferring from Marquette to Oakland for the 2021-22 season, threw down an insane poster dunk on Jalen Duren to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, and helped stifle Cade Cunningham while playing in place of the injured Michigan alumnus Franz Wagner (right calf soreness) at Kia Center.
The Magic forced 20 Pistons turnovers, eight from Cade Cunningham, to overcome putrid shooting Monday, April 27, and held the Pistons without a field goal for nearly the final 5:24 to secure a Game 4 win, 94-88, and a 3-1 series lead. Isaiah Stewart’s meaningless putback layup with 2 seconds left stopped the drought.
The Pistons would become the seventh 1-seed to lose a playoff series to an 8-seed, and first since 2023 when the Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Miami Heat.
[ Pistons on verge of disgracing NBA legacy if they lose to Magic ]
JAMAL CAIN ATTACKS THE RIM AND THROWS IT DOWN💥
A BIG-TIME POSTER JAM IN GAME 4! pic.twitter.com/oGxTm1uRpb
— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2026
Ausar Thompson’s tying layup at 85-all with 5:24 was the Pistons’ last made basket until Stewart’s in the final seconds.
Cunningham led the Pistons with 25 points.
Desmond Bane poured in 22 points for Orlando, including a banked-in 3-pointer near the top of the key for a 92-86 advantage with 76 seconds left.
BANE BANKS-IN THE CLUTCH 3!
MAGIC LEAD BY 6 WITH UNDER 30 SECONDS TO PLAY IN GAME 4 🍿 pic.twitter.com/jbnRmBZWJQ
— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2026
Game 5 is Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit (7 p.m., Prime Video), where the Pistons must win to force a Game 6 on Friday night in Orlando.
This breaking news story will be updated.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons on brink of elimination after gifting Magic Game 4 win, 94-88