Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris were firing on all cylinders, while the Detroit defense shut down Donovan Mitchell’s historic scoring run. Is this the year the top seed goes all the way? Yankee Scores has the full Game 1 breakdown!
Cade Cunningham recorded 23 points, Tobias Harris chipped in with 20, and the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101 to go up 1-0 in their second-round playoff series.
Game 1 Thriller
Duncan Robinson scored 19 points for the top-seeded Pistons, ending the NBA record-tied 12-game skid against a certain opponent during the postseason, which started in the 2007 Eastern Conference finals.
Game 2 will be played in Detroit on Thursday.
THAT CADE TO JD CONNECTION 😤 pic.twitter.com/4fdZyUDBph
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 6, 2026
Mitchell’s 30-Point Streak Snapped
For the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell tallied 23 points, ending his record-setting streak of scoring more than 30 points in nine consecutive series-opening games.
James Harden registered 22, while Max Strus added 19 for the Cavaliers, who cut the deficit in half with less than six minutes left in regulation after falling behind earlier.
Cleveland center Jarrett Allen only managed two points and three rebounds after his impressive Game 7 performance, when he scored 22 and grabbed 19 against Toronto.
The top seed went up 37-31 after one quarter and held a 59-46 advantage after halftime.
The Cavs came within three late in the third but could not stop a Pistons’ rally led by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Ronald Holland II that gave them an 83-76 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Cleveland tied the game soon after but were met with eight straight points by the Pistons and fell behind double digits before Harden made five unanswered plays.
Cade Cunningham Shines
Jalen Duren stopped Harden cold by blocking his shot, followed by Cunningham making three consecutive baskets after his own assists.
In the regular season, the Pistons were the division champions as they finished with eight more victories than the second-place Cavaliers, splitting their season series four games.
Duren gettin’ it done pic.twitter.com/fZjlmhytfD
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 6, 2026
They won the East’s best record with 60 victories two seasons after recording 68 losses and tying the NBA mark with 28 consecutive defeats.
Detroit overcame a 3-1 deficit in the first round to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Cleveland moved to the second round after winning in seven games against Toronto, starting their three-year run in the Eastern semifinals under coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who was fired by the Cavs and subsequently hired by Detroit a month later.
