Pistons go up 2-0 as Cade Cunningham posts 25 points, 10 rebounds in Game 2

The Pistons didn’t just win again. They controlled the shape of the game again — and that’s the part Cleveland has to worry about now. Detroit beat the Cavaliers 107-97 on Thursday, May 7, to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Cade Cunningham put up 25 points and 10 assists, Tobias Harris scored 21, and the Pistons owned the fourth quarter for the second straight game. That’s the headline. But the bigger story is that this no longer looks like a cute upset start. It looks like Detroit has the best player in the series when the game tightens up. (apnews.com) ### Why does 2-0 feel bigger than 2-0? Because both games followed a similar script. Detroit won Game 1 by 10, 111-101, and then followed it with another double-digit win in Game 2. This wasn’t a split. It wasn’t one weird shooting night. The Pistons have now dictated two straight games against a Cleveland team that came in with home-court advantage and, on paper, more playoff certainty. (nba.com) ### What did Cade actually do? He did the star thing — not just scoring, but deciding the terms. Cunningham shot 7-for-14, hit 3 of 6 from deep, and went 8-for-8 at the line. He also handed out 10 assists in 42 minutes. That line matters because it shows balance: he wasn’t hunting points at the expense of the offense. He was running the game, then taking it over when Detroit needed separation. (apnews.com) ### Why is the 20-point streak a real stat? Because it puts Cunningham in tiny-company territory. By reaching 20 again in Game 2, he became just the fourth player in NBA history to score 20 or more points in each of his first 15 career playoff games. That kind of stat can get cheesy fast, but this one tells you(apnews.com)ot week. He has shown up every single night he’s been in the playoffs. (nba.com) ### Was this only about Cade? No — and that’s what makes Detroit scarier. Harris gave them 21, which matters because it keeps Cleveland from loading every late-game decision onto Cunningham. The Pistons also made fewer mistakes and defended better in the winning stretches. Basically, Cade is the engine, (nba.com)te. (apnews.com) ### What’s gone wrong for Cleveland? The catch for the Cavs is that they haven’t solved Detroit’s late-game pressure. Through two games, the Pistons have looked sharper in the fourth quarter and cleaner in the possessions that swing playoff games — fewer errors, better defensive possessions, better execution. T(apnews.com)een out-finished. (nba.com) ### Does the venue shift change things? It has to help Cleveland some, because going home down 0-2 is still better than staying on the road down 0-2. But the pressure is now squarely on the Cavaliers. Lose Game 3 and the series is basically hanging by a thread. Detroit, meanwhile, gets to play freer. That’s a huge emotional swing for a young team that suddenly looks very comfortable on this stage. (cleveland.com) ### So what matters most now? Whether Cleveland can take control away from Cunningham before the last six minutes. If games stay close, Detroit has the clearest late-game answer in the series right now. The bottom line is simple — the Pistons are up 2-0 because this doesn’t look fluky anymore. It looks repeatable. (apnews.com)