Detroit Pistons beat Cleveland Cavaliers 107-97 in Game 2 to take a commanding 2-0 series lead behind 25 points and 10 assists from Cade Cunningham.
Cade Cunningham delivered 25 points and 10 assists while Tobias Harris added 21 points as the Detroit Pistons secured a 107-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2. The win gives Detroit a 2-0 advantage in their second-round playoff series. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers swept Toronto 4-0 in the first round. The Pistons have now won five straight games after nearly being eliminated in the first round against Orlando.
Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points while Jarrett Allen contributed 22 points and seven rebounds as the fourth-seeded Cavaliers fought back after a poor Game 1 showing. Cleveland trailed for most of the contest but staged a late rally. James Harden struggled mightily, making just three of 13 shots for 10 points and committing four turnovers, including a critical miscue with 33 seconds left when Cleveland trailed by six. Max Strus managed only three points after scoring 19 in the series opener.
Duncan Robinson led Detroit's bench with 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three-point range, while Daniss Jenkins came off the bench to score 14 points for the third straight game. Cleveland started strong with the first basket and held the lead briefly early in the fourth quarter on Evan Mobley's dunk to make it 81-79. The Pistons had built leads of 11 in the first quarter and 14 in the second but needed late runs to pull away. Robinson's go-ahead three-pointer with 9:40 remaining and Cunningham's three with 2:12 left extended Detroit's advantage to nine points and sealed the win.
James Harden's night was defined by missed shots and unforced errors, as he couldn't find his rhythm on offense despite taking 13 attempts. His four turnovers came at crucial moments, including a costly giveaway late in the game. Cleveland's three-point shooting also deserted them in the fourth quarter, going 0-for-11 from beyond the arc, with Strus responsible for four of those misses. On the injury front, Cleveland reserve guard Sam Merrill did not play in Game 2 due to a hamstring issue sustained during the series opener. Merrill had averaged 12.8 points during the regular season and scored in double digits twice in the seven-game first-round series against Toronto.
Detroit's five-game winning streak follows a tense first-round series where they were nearly eliminated. The Pistons won Game 1 by 10 points, with both Cunningham and Mitchell scoring 23 points in that contest. Their ability to close out tight games and control the pace has been the foundation of their playoff run. Cleveland, despite Mitchell's scoring outburst, could not overcome early deficits and struggled to maintain consistency in key moments.