2026 NBA Playoffs: Pistons Face Tall Task to Overturn 3-1 Deficit vs. Magic
Written by: Eddie Griffin
Last Update: Tue Apr 28, 2026, 3:46 pm ET
Read Time: 3 minutes
nba
Last night, both top seeds in the 2026 NBA playoffs took the court seeking a big road win. But while the Oklahoma City Thunder smoothly sailed into the second round with a sweep-securing win over the Phoenix Suns, the Detroit Pistons now find themselves in a rather perilous position against the Orlando Magic.
A split in the first two games at home heightened the importance of not coming up empty in the Sunshine State. However, that is exactly what transpired for Detroit.
In Game 3 on Saturday, the Pistons turned a 17-point deficit into a late one-point lead with a 26-8 run, only to allow nine unanswered points in the final 2:52 of a 113-105 loss.
Last night in Game 4, Detroit was done in by another late-game dud. Ausar Thompson's basket with 5:24 left tied the game at 85, but the Pistons managed only one made field goal and three points the rest of the way as the Magic secured a 94-88 win and a 3-1 series lead.
Top NBA betting sites aren't counting out Detroit just yet, but the pendulum has swung in Orlando's favor. At Lucky Rebel, the Magic sit at -250 to win the series, with the Pistons now at +210 to overcome their deficit.
Tomorrow night, Detroit will look to take the first step toward a rally in Game 5 at Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m. ET, Prime Video).
Odds are already out at Lucky Rebel, and the Pistons are heavily favored to send the series back to Orlando.
Magic vs. Pistons Game 5 Odds
Odds are from Lucky Rebel as of Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. ET.
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Magic | +9 (-106) | +265 | Over 211.5 (-108) |
| Detroit Pistons | -9 (-114) | -345 | Under 211.5 (-112) |
At the current odds, the Pistons have a 74.36% probability of winning Game 5. So, the forecast favors a Game 6, which would take place at the Kia Center Friday night (Prime Video, time TBD).
But even if Detroit staves off elimination tomorrow night, Orlando will still be in a very strong position to become just the seventh team to send a top seed packing in the first round.
No team has done it since the Miami Heat took down the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023, but with teams holding a 3-1 series lead historically moving on 95.6% of the time, the outlook is ominous for the Pistons after two crunch-time collapses in Orlando.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.
