Every playoff opener gets remembered through its stars, but some games are really decided by the possession that stops the room from changing.
Orlando's 112-101 win over Detroit had one of those moments. The Magic had led all night, built the margin to 13, and still found themselves at the familiar edge of a road playoff game when Cade Cunningham's free throws cut it to 96-92 with 6:50 left. That is the point where an upset stops feeling orderly and starts feeling fragile.
Then Tristan da Silva hit the 3.
It was not the loudest play of the game, and it will not be the one attached to the highlight package first. But it may have been the most useful one to remember because it restored the original shape of the night. Detroit never got closer than seven after that. A four-point game with a crowd ready to tilt became, once again, an Orlando game played on Orlando's terms.
That matters because the Magic's opener was notable precisely for how controlled it was. They led wire-to-wire and came away with their first postseason road win under Jamahl Mosley. The late stretch was the only window where the result threatened to become a scramble. Da Silva's answer closed that window before it could widen.
That is what role-player playoff moments are for. Not decoration. Not surprise symbolism. Just one clean, timely action that preserves the better team's work. Orlando had done enough to earn the lead. Da Silva supplied the shot that kept the night from becoming a debate.