Cade Cunningham Ties Unwanted LeBron James Playoff Record in Game 4
The No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons were expected to cruise past the No. 8 Orlando Magic in their first-round Eastern Conference series. Instead, Detroit is on the brink of elimination, while star guard Cade Cunningham is making unwanted NBA history.
The Pistons were on the road for Game 4 on Monday, and it was a tightly contested game throughout. Orlando led for 33 minutes and 42 seconds before closing out the fourth quarter with timely free throws.
Detroit's offense was once again led by Cunningham, who finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. However, he struggled with efficiency, shooting 7-for-23 (30.4%) and committing a game-high eight turnovers that proved costly.
It marked the third straight playoff game in which Cunningham recorded seven or more turnovers, tyingJames Harden for the most such games in a single postseason span.
After committing nine turnovers in the previous game and eight on Monday, Cunningham also joinedLeBron James (2008) as the only players in NBA playoff history to record 17 or more turnovers over a two-game span in the same postseason.
Looking at any two consecutive playoff games, regardless of season, Harden holds the record with 18 turnovers. Cunningham, meanwhile, now holds the record for most turnovers in a three-game playoff span with 24, the highest total since turnovers were officially tracked beginning in the 1977–78 season, according to ESPN Insights.
Cade Cunningham has 24 turnovers in his last three games.
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) April 28, 2026
That's the most TOs in a 3-game span in the playoffs since TO were first officially tracked in 1977-78. pic.twitter.com/D7Z2O0uM0A
And unsurprisingly, Cunningham was not pleased with his performance.
"Yeah it's frustrating," he said postgame. "A lot of it was on myself, I was frustrated with my own play. Having numbers, not making plays in transition. Things like that, the things I do best, just not being able to make plays for my team."
Cunningham was not alone in his struggles. The Pistons committed 20 turnovers as a team, compared to just 10 by the Magic. They were also outrebounded 52–49, with Orlando grabbing 16 offensive boards to Detroit's 12.
Cunningham, who has been the offensive engine all season, admitted the team's performance was not good enough and said he was not surprised by the result.
"Going into it, shocked," he said. "But the way that we've been playing, that stuff's not good enough to win games in this league. It's not shocking that we're losing games playing like that."
The Magic have relied on defense, forcing turnovers, and timely shooting to take control of the series. They now have a chance in Game 5 on Wednesday to become just the seventh No. 8 seed in NBA history to eliminate a No. 1 seed.
Cunningham and the Pistons, meanwhile, will try to defy the odds and become the first 60-win team in NBA history to come back from a 3–1 deficit and win a first-round series. With both teams chasing history, who do you will get it done?
Related: Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham Receive Big News Before 2026 NBA Playoffs
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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 8:00 AM.