Pistons force Game 7 vs Cavaliers

The Detroit Pistons extended their season with a 115-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, May 15, sending their Eastern Conference semifinal series to a deciding Game 7 in Detroit. Cade Cunningham scored 21 points, Jalen Duren added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Detroit’s bench provided the separation in the second half, according to the NBA’s official game recap. The result tied the series 3-3 and gave the top-seeded Pistons another elimination-game win in a postseason that has repeatedly pushed them to the edge. Game 7 is set for Sunday, May 17, at 8 p.m. ET in Detroit, according to NBA.com. ### How did Detroit flip the game after halftime? Detroit outscored Cleveland 63-41 in the second half and held the Cavaliers to 39% shooting overall in the game, according to the official box score and game recap. ESPN reported Cleveland shot 29% in the second half, a number that matched the visual shape of the game as Detroit turned a competitive first half into a lopsided finish. (nba.com) J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit’s coach, told reporters after the game that “when we’re at our best, it’s the defense and the physicality that’s going to carry us,” according to the NBA recap. He also said he was pleased his team was “allowed to play our style of basketball,” describing that style as physical and disruptive. ### Which Pistons set the tone? (nba.com) Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 points and made five 3-pointers, the NBA recap said. His scoring was not the only driver of the win, but it gave Detroit a steady offensive base while Cleveland’s offense stalled late. Jalen Duren finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Daniss Jenkins also scored 15 points. (nba.com) Paul Reed added 17 points off the bench, and Duncan Robinson returned from a lower back injury to score 14 points with four 3-pointers, according to the NBA recap. Detroit made 16 of 36 shots from 3-point range, tying its postseason high, the same recap said. ### How unusual was the margin in this spot? Detroit’s 21-point win matched a 66-year-old NBA playoff record for the largest Game 6 road victory by a team trailing 3-2 in a series, according to the Associated Press report carried on NBA.com. The recap said the previous example came in 1960, when the St. Louis Hawks beat the Minneapolis Lakers 117-96 in the West Division finals. (nba.com) The Pistons have now won four elimination games in the 2026 postseason, the NBA recap said. That includes their first-round comeback from a 3-1 deficit against Orlando and Friday’s road win in Cleveland. ### What happened to Cleveland’s offense? Cleveland scored 94 points and managed only 41 after halftime in its worst offensive stretch of the series, according to the official game summary. (nba.com) The Cavaliers’ shooting dipped as Detroit’s length and pressure took over the game. The bench gap was one of the clearest numbers in the box score. (nba.com) Detroit’s reserves outscored Cleveland’s 48-19, according to the NBA recap, giving the Pistons production beyond Cunningham and Duren while the Cavaliers struggled to find a second-half response. ### What does Game 7 set up? Game 7 will be played Sunday, May 17, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, with tipoff listed for 8 p.m. (nba.com) ET on NBA.com. The series winner will move on to the Eastern Conference finals. The New York Knicks are already through and awaiting the winner. Sports Illustrated’s Knicks schedule report said the Eastern Conference finals are set to begin Tuesday, May 19; if Detroit wins Game 7, New York will travel to Detroit for Game 1, and if Cleveland wins, the Knicks will open at home. (nba.com) (si.com)