Detroit — Ausar Thompson stood at one end of the court, practicing with assistant coach Fred Vinson. On the opposite side, Chaz Lanier, Duncan Robinson and Marcus Sasser were honing their shooting skills together. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham shot free throws alongside Javonte Green and Caris LeVert on the other side of the court.
The individual and group work each player participated in inside the Henry Ford Pistons Performance Center was typical for a morning shootaround. But on Wednesday, the tension was palpable.
The Detroit Pistons stood hours away from their Game 5 contest against the Orlando Magic at Little Caesars Arena. Down 3-1, the Pistons understood they were entering the game with a small margin of error, given that the slightest mistake could result in them becoming the seventh No. 1 seed in NBA history to lose a series to an eighth-seeded team.
"Urgency is obviously at an all-time high — just gotta leave it all out there," Robinson said. "At this point, our backs are against the wall. … We cannot change the last four games. The only thing we can do is learn from it. We are just trying to come into the game with a different perspective. It is going to be a good challenge."
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Although tension filled the air, the Pistons remained comfortable entering the elimination game. Despite losing three out of the first four games, they had found comfort in the positive aspects they could rely on. Their belief gave the Pistons hope they could turn the series around and mount another 3-1 comeback in franchise history.
Their first came in 2003 when Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady led the Magic to a 3-1 series lead in the first round. However, the Pistons overcame the deficit and eventually won the series. Their run during the 2003 postseason ended in the Eastern Conference Finals against the then-New Jersey Nets.
In each game, there have been moments where it seemed the Pistons found a rhythm comparable to their 60-win regular season. However, a few mistakes have prevented Detroit from maintaining it.
Turnovers have been one of the biggest detriments to the team. They have given up an average of 18.3 turnovers per game, second-worst in the playoffs. Their inability to take care of the ball has slightly worsened when compared to the regular season, when they gave up an average of 15.1.
For Robinson, the issue had not been the number of turnovers, but rather when the mishaps occurred and how they disrupted the flow of the game.
"People always want to talk about the last five minutes of a game, especially when it comes to the playoffs. But, there are moments of truth and little skirmishes, where we have been in a good spot, but haven't been able to capitalize," Robinson said. "It has given (the Magic) a little more light and spirit at a time when we had control of the game."
Turnovers have contributed to the Pistons' poor offense, hindering their scoring rhythm. Detroit has had the worst offensive performance in the playoffs. The Pistons have posted an offensive rating of 100.3 with a scoring average of 98.0 points per game. They are the only team in the playoffs to score fewer than 100.0 points per game.
Robinson continued, "We just have to learn from that and recognize those moments when you are in them with the understanding that those possessions might mean a bit more. It's all about valuing the ball a little bit more and going after rebounds. We have to go out there and do everything we can. "No one wants to see this run end."
After shootaround ended, the Pistons gathered to discuss how they could maximize Game 5. Each detail centered around the mishaps that left them in a 3-1 hole while staying present in the moment. They were determined to showcase the skills that allowed them to win 60 games during the regular season, but also prove that their success and championship contention were not a fluke.
Game 5: at Detroit, Wednesday, 7 p.m. (Amazon Prime)
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Pistons' urgency at 'all-time high' vs. Orlando Magic