Cavaliers look to close series at home in Game 6 after OT win gave them a 3-2 lead

The Detroit Pistons did not let Cleveland end the series at home. Detroit beat the Cavaliers 115-94 at Rocket Arena on Friday, forcing a Game 7 after Cleveland had taken a 3-2 lead with an overtime win in Game 5. NBA.com’s playoff page lists the Eastern Conference semifinal series as tied 3-3, with Game 7 scheduled for Sunday, May 17, in Detroit. Friday’s result changed the setup around the series. Cleveland had entered Game 6 with a chance to reach the Eastern Conference finals, but Detroit answered with a wire-to-wire type performance that turned the game in the second half. Fox Sports’ live box score showed the Pistons ahead 54-51 at halftime and then stretching the margin in the third quarter. (nba.com) ### How did Detroit flip a series that had been slipping away? Detroit came into Game 6 after losing three straight, including Cleveland’s 117-113 overtime win in Game 5. NBC Sports’ betting preview described the Cavaliers as having won three in a row and returning home with a chance to close out the series. (foxsports.com) The Pistons answered by taking control after halftime. Fox Sports’ play-by-play snapshot showed Detroit winning the third quarter 30-19 and building a double-digit lead that Cleveland never erased. NBA.com’s series page said the Pistons “dominate[d] in Cleveland” to force the deciding game. (nbcsports.com) ### What did the score tell us about Game 6? The 115-94 final was Detroit’s most lopsided win of the series. NBA.com’s series page lists the earlier results as Detroit wins by 10 and 10 in Games 1 and 2, Cleveland wins by seven and nine in Games 3 and 4, and Cleveland’s four-point overtime win in Game 5. Friday’s 21-point margin was larger than any of those. (foxsports.com) Rocket Arena was the site, but the home floor did not hold up for Cleveland. Fox Sports’ game log showed Detroit leading 27-25 after one quarter, 54-51 at halftime and 84-70 after three. That left the Cavaliers chasing the game for most of the night. (nba.com) ### Who were the named players around this game? NBA.com’s series page highlighted Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren as central figures in Detroit’s Game 6 win. The same page lists Cunningham as Detroit’s series leader at 25.7 points and 8.3 assists per game entering Game 7. Donovan Mitchell remained Cleveland’s top scorer in the series. (foxsports.com) NBA.com lists Mitchell at 28.5 points per game through six games, the highest figure shown for the Cavaliers on the series page. ### Why was Cleveland in position to close it out in the first place? Cleveland had changed the series after falling behind 2-0. (nba.com) NBA.com’s series summary shows the Cavaliers winning Games 3, 4 and 5, including the overtime road win on May 13 that gave them the 3-2 edge. Game 5 was the swing point before Friday. (nba.com) Search results and the NBA playoff page both show Cleveland’s overtime win in Detroit as the result that put the Cavaliers one win from advancing. ### What happens now, and when is the next game? (nba.com) Game 7 is set for Sunday, May 17, at 8:00 p.m. ET in Detroit, according to NBA.com’s playoff page. The same page lists the series as tied 3-3 after Detroit’s Game 6 victory. The winner will move on from the Eastern Conference semifinal round. NBA.com’s series tracker is carrying the updated schedule and results page for Pistons-Cavaliers as the matchup heads to its final game on May 17. (sportingnews.com) (nba.com)