From The Sports Desk: Pistons in peril?

NBAFrom The Sports Desk: Pistons in peril?Detroit is the only higher seed to lose in the first batch of NBA playoff games.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham goes to the basket on Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. in the second half during the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026.Rick Osentoski / Imagn ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 20, 2026, 2:59 PM EDTBy Rohan Nadkarni and Tim RohanThe first round of the NBA playoffs tipped off over the weekend, and we saw lots of lopsided contests. Every game was decided by 9 points or more, and every higher seed won its game, except the Detroit Pistons, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, who were stunned yesterday by the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Missed the action? Our NBC News sports team catches you up below. For continuing coverage of the NBA playoffs, be sure to check back here and our website.Eastern ConferenceThe Orlando Magic entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the East, coming off a largely disappointing regular season that put both their coach and star players on the hot seat. Then yesterday, they upset the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, 112-101. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 23 points, but it was a balanced effort from Orlando, as all five starters scored at least 16 points.The Pistons, meanwhile, only had two players score in double figures: Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris. There were concerns about Detroit’s lack of secondary scoring headed into the postseason, and those concerns played out. Who will step up to reduce the burden on Cunningham moving forward?“We’re sick about losing this one,” Cunningham said after posting a playoff career-best 39 points. “It’s a long series.”Earlier, the Boston Celtics cruised past the Philadelphia 76ers, handling their longtime rival 123-91. The duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 51 points. T...