Pistons force Game 7, tie series 3-3 with Cavaliers

The Detroit Pistons extended their season on Friday, May 15, with a 115-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The result tied the series 3-3 and sent it back to Detroit for a deciding Game 7 on Sunday, May 17, according to the NBA’s playoff schedule. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 points, while the Pistons pulled away after halftime and handed Cleveland its first home loss of the postseason, according to AP and game reports. ### How did Detroit get this back to a Game 7? Detroit took control in the second half, outscoring Cleveland 66-41 after the break on Friday night, according to AP’s game recap. The Pistons shot 43-for-82 from the field, or 52%, and made 16 of 36 3-point attempts, while Cleveland shot 30-for-78 overall, according to game statistics published during the recap. (nba.com) Jalen Duren gave Detroit a strong interior game with 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, while Cunningham’s 21 points led a balanced scoring effort. Sporting News reported Detroit had four starters in double figures and got 31 combined bench points from two reserves, part of a game in which the Pistons built a lead that reached 22. (nba.com) ### What went wrong for Cleveland in the closeout game? Cleveland’s offense stalled in a game it could have used to clinch the series and advance. Donovan Mitchell scored 18 points but shot 6-for-20 from the field, and the Cavaliers managed only 15 assists, according to the game recap and live statistics. (sportingnews.com) James Harden led Cleveland with 23 points, but the Cavaliers did not get enough efficient scoring elsewhere. Sporting News said Evan Mobley had a poor shooting night and Dean Wade scored three points in 22 minutes, while Cleveland produced only 26 points in the paint compared with Detroit’s 48. (sportingnews.com) ### Why is Detroit’s path notable? Detroit has now won four elimination games in the 2026 playoffs, according to the context cited by ESPN and reflected in the series’ survival through two rounds. NBA.com’s playoff page shows the Pistons also came through a seven-game first-round series against Orlando before reaching this second-round decider with Cleveland. (sportingnews.com) The Pistons entered this round as the No. 1 seed in the East, and Friday’s result restored home-court advantage for the final game of the series. AP’s recap identified Detroit as the top seed, while the NBA’s official schedule lists Game 7 in Detroit rather than Cleveland. ### What do the betting markets show before Game 7? (nba.com) Betting markets moved toward Detroit after Game 6. USA Today and Action Network listings published ahead of Sunday’s game showed the Pistons favored by 4.5 points, with Detroit listed around -200 on the moneyline at Action Network and -180 at another market snapshot cited by Lineups. (nba.com) Those prices reflected a swing from Cleveland’s position before Game 6. A market roundup published after Friday’s game said the Cavaliers had been heavy series favorites entering the closeout opportunity before Detroit’s road win forced a winner-take-all finish. (actionnetwork.com) ### What happens next, and who is waiting? NBA.com lists Game 7 for Sunday, May 17, in Detroit at 8 p.m. ET. The winner will advance to the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks, who already completed their semifinal series. The broader conference-finals calendar is already in place. NBA.com says the Eastern Conference finals will match Detroit or Cleveland against New York, while the Western Conference finals open Monday, May 18, with San Antonio at Oklahoma City. (sportsbettingdime.com) (nba.com)