Dan Gilbert appears to be stepping up his efforts to make Game 7 between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers feel less like a home advantage for Detroit, reportedly sending nearly two dozen buses carrying Cavs fans to Little Caesars Arena on Sunday nig
Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena. the push to turn Game 7 into something closer to a shared home atmosphere was already in motion.. Dan Gilbert, the Rocket Cos.. chairman and a major downtown Detroit real-estate owner. reportedly sent nearly two dozen buses of Cleveland Cavalier fans to Detroit for the Eastern Conference semi-finals showdown between the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Media coverage cited as many as 25 buses bringing Cavs season ticket holders to Detroit for the game. Cavs media personnel had yet to confirm the exact number, but the scale appeared to dwarf Gilbert’s earlier efforts—sending four and eight buses to previous games.
Gilbert’s involvement is personal and pointed.. As a Cavaliers owner. he has made it clear the Pistons are his “second-favorite team.” Still. he and his development team have spent years driving a revival in downtown Detroit real estate. accumulating more than 100 properties and redeveloping many of them for commercial or residential use.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson addressed the gesture ahead of Game 7, calling it helpful for his team while also adding to the rivalry between the two cities. “That’s so awesome,” Atkinson said. “I know last time we were here, I noticed it. I know the players noticed it.”
Atkinson also tied the atmosphere to effort. Gilbert “wants to win, badly,” he said. “I think it matters,” Atkinson added. “I think it matters when we see friendly faces. You know, people screaming and yelling for you.”
He went further, describing the moment as good for the NBA, too. “Cleveland, Detroit, as close as they are, two teams that are battling it out, I think it’s awesome,” Atkinson said.
The pattern is hard to miss: each time Game 7 approaches, the number of Cavs fan buses increases—from four, to eight, and then to nearly two dozen—while Gilbert’s stated stance that the Pistons are his “second-favorite team” remains consistent.
With Detroit and Cleveland set to collide again under those louder, more familiar colors, the question hanging over the arena wasn’t just who would win—it was how much the night would start to feel like it belonged to Cleveland as well.
Dan Gilbert Cavaliers fans Pistons Game 7 Little Caesars Arena Kenny Atkinson Rocket Cos downtown Detroit real estate