Detroit Pistons, owners of a 60-win season, trail 3-1 in their opening series after losing Game 4 to the Orlando Magic.
The shot sealed a 94-88 victory for the Magic over the Pistons in Game 4 on Monday night, pushing Detroit to the edge of elimination.
Bane immediately clasped his hands in prayer after the dagger shot, which proved decisive in the tightly contested defensive battle.
The eighth-seeded Magic have flipped their season around and are riding a wave of confidence and physical play, leading the series 3-1.
Pistons center Jalen Duren admitted the team’s 20 turnovers, which led to 23 Magic points, were their downfall.
'Too many turnovers bro,' Duren said. 'They are scoring off of our mistakes. The whole series we just been shooting ourselves in the foot. We got to clean that up man.'
Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff promised his team would come out with aggression in Game 5, stating they would not surrender without a fight.
'We're going to come out punching,' Bickerstaff declared. 'That I promise you. We're not going to lay down for anybody. It's one game at home and that's what your focus is on, is you got to go home and win one game. And that's where our mindset is.'
Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham, who posted 25 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and two blocks but also eight turnovers in Game 4, acknowledged his team’s struggles.
Cunningham, whose 24 turnovers over the last three games are the most in a three-game playoff span since 1977-78, said the Pistons have not been good enough.
'I mean, going into [this series I'd be] shocked,' Cunningham said. 'But with the way that we've been playing, that stuff's not good enough to win games and this league's too good.'
Both teams shot poorly from three-point range, combining for just 15-of-65 attempts, with several airballs clanging off the rim.
Inside the paint, the game turned physical, resembling close-quarters combat as every possession felt decisive.
Detroit managed 18 blocks but still fell short after shooting 37.8% from the field and failing to protect the ball.
Orlando also outrebounded Detroit 52-49, with late-game boards proving crucial in sealing the victory.
Pistons forward Tobias Harris emphasized the need for better ball security and rebounding to turn things around.
'We got to take care of the basketball,' Harris said. 'We got to win the rebounding battle. And we just got to be in the moment of what this is. This is playoff basketball. We got to be more ready to just go out there and scrap like we need it. We're a little too casual. Everybody knows that. In our locker room, we have to be better.'
The Pistons join a small group of teams to win 60 games in a regular season but trail 3-1 in their opening playoff series.
The 2011 San Antonio Spurs and 2007 Dallas Mavericks both extended their series but ultimately lost in six games.
Teams that won 60 games and trailed 3-1 in opening series | 2026 | Pistons | ? | | --- | --- | --- | | 2011 | Spurs | Lost in 6 | | 2007 | Mavericks | Lost in 6 |
Orlando started Game 4 with a 17-5 burst before Detroit countered with a 33-11 run to take a 10-point lead with 7:14 left in the second quarter.
The game remained tight at halftime, and the Magic clung to a three-point lead late in the fourth despite playing without Franz Wagner for the entire quarter due to right calf soreness.
Wagner confirmed after the game he would undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
Without Wagner, Bane delivered with 22 points, including the game-sealing three, which he celebrated with former Memphis teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. in attendance.
Bane’s 29-foot three-pointer capped a stretch where he has become a go-to scorer for the Magic in clutch moments.
Earlier in the season, on Nov. 10, Bane hit a twisting, fallaway buzzer-beater over Toumani Camara to beat Portland, a shot that helped spark a run to the NBA Cup semifinals in December.
After a stretch of injuries and inconsistency, the Magic have rediscovered their form since beating Charlotte in the final Play-In game on Apr. 17, playing with stifling defense, opportunistic offense, and clutch shot-making.