While Detroit and Orlando were fighting for their first post-series win since 2008 and 2010, the rivalry between the two teams intensified with WNBA star Angel Reese in the mix.

Reese showed continued support for her boyfriend, Orlando's Wendell Carter Jr., throughout the series against the Pistons. But while doing so, she also took some apparent shots at her rumored ex, Jalen Duren.

Pistons fans quickly used this knowledge against Carter Jr. during the high-stakes Game 7, as they serenaded him with "Angel Reese" chants while taking free throws during the home team's blowout victory.

The Carter-Reese-Duren triangle was a topic of conversation since Game 1 of the series, as Reese celebrated Magic's 112-101 win against the Pistons.

More importantly, that game is infamously remembered for Carter Jr. posterizing Duren with a dunk.

A similar scenario unfolded during Game 4, when the Magic beat the Pistons 94-88 at the Kia Center. Reese posted a video to her Instagram stories of Magic star Jamal Cain dunking on Duren.

With no Carter Jr. in the picture this time around, fans believed Reese took an apparent shot at her ex.

In the end, Duren and the Pistons had the last laugh, and the crowd and the fans on social media were largely on the 22-year-old's side.

Duren rewarded the home crowd with a dominant double-double performance of 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Pistons to the second round of the playoffs.

“I just took my job serious, man. And I wasn’t ready to go on vacation.” The All-Star center said postgame.

Meanwhile, Carter Jr.'s rough day wasn't over, as he faced criticism over his game errors.

Analyst Blasts Wendell Carter Jr. for Crucial Error in Game 7

Apart from the Little Caesars Arena trolling Carter Jr., analyst Ian Williams called him out for committing an error that might have extinguished the Magic’s last attempt to rally in Game 7.

According to Williams, a rushed shot by Carter in crunch time was costly for his team.

“At the 3:40 minute mark of the 4th quarter, Wendell Carter shoots a semi contested 3 point shot with 15 seconds left on the shot clock. This was a crucial point in the run the Orlando Magic had established, ending the game to try and rally. It’s plays like that which have plagued the Orlando Magic all season long smh,” Williams tweeted.

The loss extends Orlando's postseason victory drought, which dates back to 2010.

Meanwhile, Jalen Duren has found his rhythm just at the right time, as the Pistons will require all the firepower to topple the Cleveland Cavaliers' star-studded lineup.

With both teams winning their respective Game 7s, the Pistons host the Cavaliers for Game 1 on Tuesday night. Who do you think will grab the momentum first?

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Utsav Gupta