It was not that the Cleveland Cavaliers were dominated by the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon; rather, it was that when it mattered, the Cade Cunningham-led Pistons were able to be more consistent than the Cavaliers. When it mattered most, have that consistency translate into points at the free-throw line, where Detroit went a perfect 21-for-21, en route to a 114-110 win.
In the final moments of a close game, the Pistons were able to counteract the late-game charges by Cleveland by making key shots when they needed to, playing an effective style of physical defense, and maintaining a level of playoff-level focus throughout those critical final seconds of the game.
Although Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell both played very well, Cleveland was unable to put multiple consecutive stops together in the final moments of the game. Now, onto the four major talking points of this Eastern Conference showdown.
Cade Cunningham Controlled The Game
Cade Cunningham’s statistics are only one part of his contribution. The 27 points, seven assists, and six rebounds represent some of his production, but his overall impact was more about controlling the game as it unfolded.
Cade showed patience with each possession and allowed the game to come to him – he didn’t rush or take bad shots just because Cleveland was pressuring him. Although he shot 7-for-22 from the field, where he really excelled was at the charity stripe.
He made an impressive 11-for-11 at the free-throw line and applied constant pressure on Cleveland-based defenders as they were forced to make tough decisions late in the game. By fouling him aggressively and trapping him or switching on Cade instead of staying home, Cleveland became very uncomfortable and therefore made mistakes and committed fouls throughout the game. Cade continued to either finish on offense or create other opportunities for shooters on his team.
Detroit’s Free Throw Shooting Was Critical
In a four-point game, mistakes matter, and Detroit made almost none at the stripe. The Pistons went a flawless 21-for-21 on free throws, turning every whistle into guaranteed points.
Cleveland, meanwhile, left four points behind by going 26-for-30, a margin that ended up looming large. Detroit’s commitment to attacking the rim fueled that advantage.
They finished with 40 points in the paint and consistently put Cleveland’s defenders in recovery mode. Even during scoring droughts from the field, the Pistons stayed afloat by earning trips to the line and cashing in every single one.
Cleveland’s Stars Showed Up, But Support Wasn’t There
Donovan Mitchell’s offense was great as he scored 30 points while attacking the basket or through other avenues to break down the defense of the Detroit Pistons.
Evan Mobley has a big role for the Cleveland Cavaliers by not only scoring 15 points, but also contributing five assists and four blocked shots. Mobley was able to give the Cavaliers a secondary option for playmaking along with rim protection during the entirety of the game.
Darius Garland is the biggest concern for the Cavaliers, as he could not convert on any of his seven three-point attempts. Garland’s inability to hit three-point shots when he is supposed to is an ongoing problem for the Cavaliers.
Cleveland did not capitalize on the offense struggles of the Pistons, and moreover, Cleveland did not shoot well from the three-point line (33.3%) and committed 17 turnovers. Cleveland was unable to have very much room for error on the court.
Detroit’s Depth Is Very Underrated
Cade Cunningham was the star of the show, but the depth is what gave him the extra support. Daniss Jenkins played out of his mind, scoring 25 points for Detroit in 25 minutes on the court, while shooting 6-7 from three. Every single time it seemed like Cleveland was about to make a run back into the game, Jenkins would stop that momentum with a made jumper. We didn’t see that coming from him.
Javonte Green also played solidly for Detroit, adding 11 points to the total and providing solid defense with his physical play. Jaden Ivey also added seven points and a +14 plus/minus rating, showing how impactful he was for the Pistons even without getting a ton of buckets.
Not to mention, the Pistons secured 14 offensive rebounds, matching Cleveland’s overall board total. The Pistons also capitalized on their extra possessions, helping Detroit maintain control of the rhythm of the game in the final minutes. On an afternoon where the stars headline, the bench players might have provided the extra boost.
