Detroit Pistons fans answer: What’s the score going to be tonight?
With Detroit on the brink of elimination in Game 5 against Orlando, fans take their best guess at the final score.
How are Detroit Pistons fans feeling, with their team — the No. 1 seed in the conference — down 3-1 and facing elimination against the Orlando Magic on their home court Wednesday night?
It’s a touchy subject.
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“We don’t want to talk about that,” said Sandy Maizi of West Bloomfield.
His brother-in-law, Dominic Dallo, summed it up with a phrase his son James, 10, coined when he was in preschool: “Ner-cited.” Nervous… but also excited, he explained.
Certainly, it wasn’t the position fans expected to be in by Game 5. To advance, the Pistons must now win three games straight, including at least one in Orlando. But many were still keeping the faith ahead of tip-off.
“We’ll win tonight,” said Brandon VanBeekom of Traverse City. “Just take it one game at a time.”
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He and his wife, Randi, took their kids Liam, 8, and Oliver, 11, out of school early Wednesday to drive down to Detroit for the game. The kids thought they were leaving school early for a dentist appointment.
“I figured it out,” Oliver said. His teacher giving him two days’ worth of homework on his way out the door for his “dentist appointment” was a big clue. His parents, both in the car decked in Pistons gear, was the other.
It was the first playoff game for both boys.
It was also the first playoff game for first cousins James Dallo and Noah Maizi.
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Their dads also conspired during the school day to bring them to the game, noticing online during the day that tickets were cheaper than some regular-season game seats in the same area. They told their kids as soon as they got home — do your homework, we’re going to the game. They were both pumped. It didn’t bother them a bit the team was down 3-1 in the series.
“I was happy,” Noah said.
“Excited,” James said. “Ready.”
Michael Parks of Grand Rapids brought his 8-year-old grandson Marquell to the game. Marquell said he was excited and ready to see “dunks.”
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Parks, on the other hand, was, in a word, “worried.”
His friend Arica Deans, however, said she was feeling “great.”
“We’re going to do this,” she said.
Dearborn residents and friends Tristan Crandall and Christian Alvarado had technical feedback for the team, expecting to see more production from the bench, and more support for Cade Cunningham.
But they both had to admit, they were nervous.
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“I’ll always have belief in us, no matter what,” Crandall said.
They both noted they had seen the team through its hardest times, and would continue to be there no matter what.
“We’ve seen the worst,” Alvarado said. “But we always have hope.”
Some of the city’s top music stars will headline the new Hart of Detroit Summer Festival set for June 19 at Hart Plaza.
The riverside party is 12 hours of hip-hop music, DJs, gospel karaoke, food trucks and a chance to shop small businesses. Headliners include Detroit rappers Kash Doll, Babytron, Icewear Vezzo, Trick Trick, Bruiser Wolf, Babyfxce E, 1UpTee and more, plus New Jersey’s Fetty Wap and Atlanta’s Boldy James.
The concerts will start at 5 p.m. and span two stages.
“Expected to draw attendees from across the Midwest, the festival blends music, culture, entrepreneurship and community into one of Detroit’s defining summer experiences,” reads a press release announcing the event.
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The festival runs from noon to midnight. General admission tickets start at $75.63 with VIP access ranging $139.49-$239.40.
Tickets and a full schedule can be found at 313summer.com.
mbaetens@detroitnews.com
More: 50 killer summer concerts! Jack White, Foo Fighters, Usher and 47 more
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4Warn Weather – After multiple rounds of severe weather to start the week, southeast Michigan is finally getting a break from the storms.
The break comes after powerful winds, hail, downed trees, and scattered power outages once again swept across the region Tuesday afternoon and evening.
The latest round developed in hot, humid air as temperatures surged into the mid- and upper-80s Tuesday, helping fuel another active severe weather day across Metro Detroit and much of Southeast Michigan.
While hail was reported, damaging straight-line winds were the primary threat as storms raced eastward.
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The severe weather came just one day after violent storms on Monday afternoon and evening, leaving many residents already cleaning up debris and dealing with outages before Tuesday’s storms arrived.
Numerous storm reports were received on Tuesday across Southeast Michigan.
In Oakland County, several trees were snapped at Kensington Metropark near New Hudson around 2:30 p.m.
Additional reports described large trees and limbs blocking roads near White Lake and Keego Harbor, including damage to a camper from a falling limb.
Farther east, emergency managers reported trees and power lines down across portions of Macomb County, including near Washington Township and Stony Creek Metropark.
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Wind gusts approached or exceeded severe limits in several areas. Detroit City Airport recorded a 54 mph gust, Monroe’s Custer Airport measured a 59 mph gust, and the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club along Lake St. Clair measured a powerful 76 mph marine thunderstorm wind gust shortly before 5 p.m.
Hail was also reported in Wayne County, including dime- to quarter-sized hail in Northwest Detroit.
Even late Tuesday night, drivers should remain alert for lingering hazards.
Some roads may still have ponding after downpours, especially in low-lying areas.
Utility crews also continue working to clear downed branches and restore power in spots hit by the strongest winds.
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Drivers are urged to use caution overnight and avoid any downed power lines or barricaded streets.
The good news is that a dramatic pattern change is now underway.
After highs climbed well into the 80s on Tuesday, much cooler air is spilling into the Great Lakes behind a strong cold front.
High temperatures on Wednesday will struggle to reach the mid-60s across Metro Detroit, several degrees below the seasonal average of around 70 degrees for this time of year.
Wednesday
High temperatures Wednesday will struggle to reach the mid-60s across Metro Detroit, several degrees below the seasonal average of around 70 degrees for this time of year. (WDIV)
Wednesday will feel noticeably different from the summerlike heat earlier this week. North to northeast winds and cooler air off the lakes will keep conditions crisp through the day, with some communities near Lake Huron staying in the 50s.
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For Tigers fans heading to Comerica Park on Wednesday evening as Detroit hosts the Cleveland Guardians for a 6:40 p.m. first pitch, weather conditions look much quieter.
Temperatures will likely fall through the upper 50s during the game with a light breeze and dry conditions.
Fans may want to bring a light jacket or hoodie after the sharp drop from Tuesday’s heat.
The cooler pattern continues through the rest of the work week with highs mainly in the 60s on Thursday and Friday.
Memorial Day Weekend
The forecast for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend remains a mixed bag.
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Rain chances return Friday afternoon and continue at times Friday night into Saturday as another system moves into the Great Lakes.
A few showers could linger into parts of Sunday, meaning portions of the holiday weekend may be wet at times.
Despite the rain chances, temperatures will rebound into the 70s over the weekend with Memorial Day itself currently looking mainly dry and comfortable.
Monday is expected to feature partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies with highs in the upper 70s, which is favorable weather for parades, cookouts, and outdoor ceremonies.
After damaging winds and cleanup efforts across Southeast Michigan, many residents will likely welcome the cooler and quieter stretch ahead.
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If you have storm or damage photos, share them with Local 4 at MIPics.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
A police chase that began in Southfield ended in a fiery crash in Detroit early Tuesday morning. (WDIV)
DETROIT – A police chase that began in Southfield ended in a fiery crash in Detroit early Tuesday morning.
The chase began on May 19, just after 3 a.m., when Southfield police responded to a reported car theft in progress. When they arrived, they found three suspects who immediately left the scene — one running and two in a car driving away.
The suspect who ran off was arrested and released to a guardian, police said.
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Police saw the car traveling south on the Lodge Freeway near Evergreen Road. Officers began chasing after the suspect, which continued into Detroit. The car was seen exiting the Lodge at Grand River Avenue before crashing on Southfield Service Drive.
Shortly after the crash, the car caught fire. Both people in the car were safely pulled out and were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries. They were later taken to the Southfield Detention Center.
Details on the suspects were not released.
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Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
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About the Authors
Samantha Sayles headshot
Samantha Sayles
Samantha Sayles is an Oakland University alumna who’s been writing Michigan news since 2022. Before joining the ClickOnDetroit team, she wrote stories for WILX in Lansing and WEYI in Flint.
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Shawnte Passmore
Shawnte Passmore joined WDIV in August 2024 after working at KOVR in Sacramento, California, WFSB in Hartford, Connecticut and KMTV in Omaha, Nebraska.
