The (*11*) and Cleveland Cavaliers will play a Game 7 on Sunday to complete their second-round NBA playoff sequence. Detroit compelled the decisive matchup with a 115-94 win at Cleveland’s Rocket Arena, the Cavs’ first loss at residence through the 2026 playoffs.
Cade Cunningham led all scorers with 21 factors, whereas Daniss Jenkins and Jalen Duren every added 15. Duren, particularly, redeemed himself after a poor Game 5 efficiency with a number of powerful baskets inside, additionally grabbing 11 rebounds and getting three blocks.
Advertisement
Before fouling out, (*15*) additionally tallied a powerful all-around efficiency with 10 factors, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. And he performed his normal powerful protection on the Cleveland guards, although the officers made it tough for him, calling him for pushing and hand-checking continuously.
James Harden scored 21 for the Cavs, with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley every including 15. However, the Cavaliers shot solely 38% from the ground, with Mitchell taking pictures 6-for-20. The Pistons performed their often powerful protection, however Cleveland additionally missed many open seems to be that introduced themselves.
“We did what needed to be done,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said afterward. “When we’re at our best, it’s the defense that’s going to carry us… I was pleased that we were allowed to play our style of basketball tonight.”
Advertisement
A Detroit workforce that has struggled with outdoors taking pictures all through the playoffs (and common season) discovered its contact from lengthy vary on Friday. The Pistons shot 44% (16-for-36) from behind the arc, led by Cunningham’s 5-for-10 efficiency. Duncan Robinson, who missed Game 5 with decrease again soreness, returned to shoot 4-for-7 on 3s.
Robinson’s 14 factors and 17 from Paul Reed led a 48-point outburst from Detroit’s bench. Marcus Sasser added 9 factors, adopted by eight from Caris LeVert. Meanwhile, Cleveland solely bought 19 factors from its reserves.
Play 2026 Soccer Pick ‘Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world’s biggest soccer tournament
Advertisement
Pistons pulled away in third quarter
After the Cavaliers reduce Detroit’s result in 54-51 at halftime on a 7-0 run, the Pistons started the third quarter with a 14-4 surge to go forward 68-55. The run was highlighted by consecutive 3-pointers by Cade Cunningham and Daniss Jenkins, offering important outdoors taking pictures for Detroit.
Detroit appeared to take management early within the second quarter with a 21-4 run carrying over from the tip of the primary quarter. That lifted the Pistons to a double-digit lead, whereas the Cavaliers dedicated a number of turnovers towards Detroit’s entice and couldn’t hit a shot.
However, Cleveland chipped away on the deficit with a 7-0 surge earlier than halftime, helped by turnovers by Cunningham. The Cavs went into the locker room solely trailing 54-51.
Advertisement
Game 7 between the Pistons and Cavaliers can be performed on Sunday. Tip-off can be at both 5:30 p.m. ET or 8 p.m. ET, relying on the end result of Game 6 between the (*7*) and San Antonio Spurs. The matchup can be televised on Amazon Prime Video.
Check out how Game 6 progressed by Yahoo Sports’ stay updates. Follow alongside if you happen to missed the sport or need to evaluate the motion once more.
-
Ian Casselberry
-
Ian Casselberry
Cleveland loses its first residence sport of the 2026 NBA playoffs and they’re going to face the Pistons in Detroit for a Game 7 on Sunday.
Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 factors, adopted by 15 from Daniss Jenkins and Jalen Duren. Duren redeemed himself with an inside presence scoring and rebounding, grabbing 11 boards with 3 blocks.
James Harden scored 21 for the Cavs, with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley every including 15. Cleveland shot 38%
-
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons open up a 21-point lead on a 3-pointer by Daniss Jenkins, his third of the sport.
Detroit has shot 43% (15-of-35) on 3s tonight.
-
Ian Casselberry
Jalen Duren grabs a rebound off a Cade Cunningham missed 3-pointer and lays it in for a 109-91 lead.
Detroit has 13 offensive rebounds, 4 of them by Duren. He has 15 factors, 11 boards and three blocks.
-
Ian Casselberry
Ausar Thompson picks up his sixth foul and is out of this sport with 3:56 left within the fourth quarter. That may give the Cavaliers a lift with Thompson unable to defend Harden and Mitchell.
-
Ian Casselberry
Paul Reed lays in a shot from underneath the basket to provide the Pistons an 18-point lead. He has 14 factors and 6 rebounds off the bench in one other robust efficiency off the bench for Detroit.
-
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons take a 100-85 lead midway by the fourth quarter on a Tobias Harris fast-break layup. He picked off a go by James Harden as Dean Wade slipped and ran down the court docket uncontested.
-
Ian Casselberry
Ausar Thompson was whistled for his fifth foul pushing for place with Evan Mobley within the Cavaliers’ backcourt.
That could possibly be a giant issue down the stretch, as his protection on James Harden and Donovan Mitchell has been a key.
Thompson has 10 factors, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.
-
Ian Casselberry
Jalen Duren knocked down a brief turnaround jumper to provide him 11 factors, two greater than he scored in Game 5. He additionally has 8 rebounds and a pair of blocks. The Pistons have a 94-80 lead with 8:08 remaining within the fourth quarter.
-
Ian Casselberry
Marcus Sasser has offered a giant enhance off the bench for the Pistons. He drills a 3-pointer to place Detroit up 90-75 lower than two minutes into the fourth quarter.
Sasser has 7 factors, hitting three of his 4 pictures.
-
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons finish the third quarter on a 10-2 run to take an 84-70 lead into the fourth.
-
Ian Casselberry
Jarrett Allen hooks in a shot after grabbing an offensive rebound, one he won’t have gotten had Jalen Duren not left the sport.
But that cuts Detroit’s result in 68-61 on the 5:24 mark of the third q
-
Ian Casselberry
Jalen Duren rolled his ankle whereas preventing his option to the basket and has gone to the locker room. He has 9 factors and 7 rebounds midway by the third quarter, which is best than his complete efficiency in Game 5.
-
Ian Casselberry
Ausar Thompson dunks in a missed layup by Jalen Duren to elevate the Pistons’ run to 14-4 to open the third quarter. They want 68-55 with 8:50 left within the third quarter and Cleveland calls timeout.
Thompson has 10 factors, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals.
-
Ian Casselberry
Detroit has come out of the locker room with some aggression. Cade Cunningham sinks one other 3-pointer, his fifth of the sport, and Daniss Jenkins adopted with one other long-range shot to spice up the Pistons’ result in 62-52.
-
Ian Casselberry
Cleveland in all probability feels fairly good about reducing the Pistons’ result in three factors on the half. Detroit had a 12-point lead halfway by the second quarter.
Cade Cunningham has 16 factors with 5 assists to guide all scorers. But he additionally has 5 turnovers, which helped the Cavs get again into the sport. Donovan Mitchell has 13 for Cleveland.
-
Ian Casselberry
Max Strus hits a 3 to cap off a 7-0 run for Cleveland. He then brought about a turnover in Detroit’s backcourt, giving the Cavs an opportunity to tie the sport earlier than halftime. But he missed a 24-footer simply earlier than the buzzer and the Pistons take a 54-51 result in the locker room.
-
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons are getting some 3-point manufacturing from Cade Cunningham and Caris LeVert. Cunningham has hit two consecutive 3s, giving him 4 for the sport to date, to place Detroit forward 49-37.
Cunningham has 16 factors and 5 assists.
-
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons have been a bit frentic, starting with Ausar Thompson getting referred to as for a palming violation proper after his flagrant foul.
Following a missed jumper by Daniss Jenkins, Sam Merrill hit a much-needed 3 for Cleveland to chop the deficit to 41-34 midway by the second quarter.
-
Ian Casselberry
Ausar Thompson will get referred to as for a flagrant foul, pushing Sam Merrill to the ground and stepping over him.
Thompson grabbing Merrill on the neck is what raised the infraction above a typical foul. But he stays within the sport with a Flagrant 1 referred to as.
-
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons trapped James Harden within the backcourt and he misplaced the ball making an attempt to go off to Dean Wade.
But the go was low, out of Wade’s attain, and it went out of bounds for Cleveland’s tenth turnover roughly 15 minutes into the sport.
