Pistons force – Cade Cunningham scored 21 as the Detroit Pistons dominated the second half to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 on Friday night, forcing a decisive Game 7 in Detroit on Sunday.
CLEVELAND — Cade Cunningham didn’t just hit shots; he set the tempo for a Detroit run that turned Friday night into a must-win statement.. The top-seeded Pistons rolled past the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 to force a Game 7 in their Eastern Conference second-round series. with the decisive matchup scheduled for Sunday in Detroit.
Cunningham finished with 21 points, including five 3-pointers, and the Pistons’ control of the second half proved too much. Jalen Duren added 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Daniss Jenkins scored 15 as Detroit tightened the screws after halftime.
Detroit’s ability to flip momentum has become a postseason calling card.. The Pistons were down 3-1 to Orlando before winning the last three games to move on out of the first round. and they carried that same desperation-and-belief into this series.. After Friday’s win, they now have four postseason victories when facing elimination.
The Pistons also got major production from their bench. Duncan Robinson scored 14 points off the bench and drilled four 3-pointers despite missing Wednesday’s Game 5 with a lower back injury. Paul Reed contributed 17 points, and Detroit’s reserves outscored Cleveland 48-19.
Cleveland felt the impact of Detroit’s physicality and pressure on both ends. The Pistons attacked the offensive glass, turning 13 offensive rebounds into 20 points. At the other end, they capitalized on turnovers: Cleveland committed 20, and Detroit converted that into 28 points.
The flow of the game made the difference early in the second half. Detroit led 54-41 at halftime and opened the third with a 12-2 run. The Cavaliers tried to claw back and got as close as 74-68, but the Pistons answered with a decisive 13-2 spurt that largely ended the contest.
Cleveland’s offense still generated answers—James Harden scored 23 points—but it wasn’t enough. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley had 18 points each, yet the Cavaliers suffered their first home loss of the postseason.
Detroit’s margin wasn’t just built on scoring; it was sealed by punctuation plays and timing. Evan Mobley missed a dunk, and Marcus Sasser drove the length of the floor for a layup at the buzzer to give the Pistons an 84-70 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Now the series returns to Detroit for Game 7, with the Pistons holding the advantage of finishing strong under pressure and the Cavaliers looking to respond after a defeat that snapped their spotless home run.
Detroit Pistons Cleveland Cavaliers Game 7 Cade Cunningham Jalen Duren Daniss Jenkins Eastern Conference second round