The Detroit Pistons are suddenly in firm control of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-97 in Game 2 on Thursday night.
Detroit leaned on another standout outing from Cade Cunningham, who orchestrated the offense with 25 points and 10 assists while helping the Pistons secure both games at home to open the series.
The Cavaliers stayed within striking distance for much of the night before Detroit separated itself late. The Pistons outscored Cleveland 28-22 in the fourth quarter as the visitors struggled badly from long distance, missing all 11 of their three-point attempts during the final stretch.
Donovan Mitchell tried to keep Cleveland alive with 31 points and six rebounds, but the Cavaliers could not generate enough offensive rhythm down the stretch. James Harden also endured a difficult shooting night, finishing with 10 points on 3-for-13 shooting while posting a minus-15 rating.
Detroit received another major contribution from Tobias Harris, who added 21 points and seven rebounds to help steady the offense whenever Cleveland threatened to close the gap.
The early series deficit marks unfamiliar territory for the Cavaliers, who entered the matchup having won 12 consecutive playoff games against Detroit dating back several postseasons.
Ironically, the last time the Pistons opened a playoff series against Cleveland with a 2-0 lead came during the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals. That series ultimately swung in Cleveland’s favor as the Cavaliers rallied to win four straight and advance.
This time, however, Detroit carries momentum, confidence, and home-court success into the next phase of the series as Cleveland searches for answers before Game 3.
