The Detroit Pistons ended one streak on Wednesday—and did it in front of a home crowd that has been waiting a long time for moments like this.
Cade Cunningham scored 23 points, Tobias Harris added 20, and the Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 111-101, in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference second-round series at Little Caesars Arena. Duncan Robinson contributed 19 off the bench. Detroit’s victory ended an NBA record-tying 12-game postseason losing streak against Cleveland—a drought that stretched back to the 2007 Eastern Conference finals.
Game 2 is Friday in Detroit.
How the Pistons Pulled Away
The Pistons started well, leading 37-31 after one quarter and stretching it to 59-46 at halftime. Cleveland kept coming back. The Cavaliers pulled to within three points late in the third quarter before Ron Holland hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to close the period and push Detroit’s lead back to 83-76.
It still did not feel safe. The Cavaliers trimmed the deficit to 3 again early in the fourth, and then James Harden—playing against the Pistons for the first time since Cleveland acquired him—scored 7 straight points to tie the game at 93-all with 5:28 remaining.
That is when Jalen Duren took over.
Detroit’s centre blocked Harden’s next shot, then dunked on three consecutive Pistons possessions—each set up by a Cunningham assist. The game was over. The Pistons responded to Cleveland’s 8-point run with 8 straight points of their own to restore a double-digit lead, and the Cavaliers ran out of time.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 23 points, ending his NBA-record streak of scoring 30-plus points in nine straight series openers. Harden finished with 22 and Max Strus added 19. Jarrett Allen—who had put up 22 points and 19 rebounds in an elimination game against Toronto just two days earlier—was limited to 2 points and 3 rebounds. The Cavaliers fought hard but gave up too many momentum-killing possessions at the worst possible time.
The Context Behind This Win
Two years ago, the Detroit Pistons lost 68 games and set a single-season NBA record with 28 consecutive losses. On Wednesday, they won Game 1 of a second-round playoff series as the top seed in the Eastern Conference with 60 wins and a Central Division title by 8 games.
That arc is remarkable. The Pistons came back from a 3-1 first-round deficit against the Orlando Magic to advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2008—and now they have beaten the Cavs in the first game of the next round.
There is also a layer of narrative to acknowledge. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff formerly helmed the Cavs, which he led to two playoff appearances. Nevertheless, he was still fired by Cleveland.
Cleveland reached the second round for the third consecutive season, outlasting the Toronto Raptors in seven games. They are a battle-tested team. They will be better in Game 2.
But Detroit played like a team that belongs. Cunningham was efficient, Harris was reliable, and Duren was a force when the game was on the line. The Pistons held home court. Now they have to do it again on Friday.
