The Cleveland Cavaliers missed a chance to close out their second-round series on Friday night, losing 115–94 to the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday in Detroit.
Detroit controlled the game from the start, winning the battle for loose balls, second-chance points and overall energy—an area head coach Kenny Atkinson has repeatedly identified as critical for Cleveland. “They won the force battle,” Atkinson said postgame. “We just gotta switch it, gotta turn the tables.”
Key numbers
• Donovan Mitchell scored 18 points on 6-for-20 shooting and finished a minus-25.
• James Harden had 23 points but committed eight turnovers.
• Evan Mobley added 18 points and Jarrett Allen 13, yet Cleveland again allowed numerous offensive rebounds.
• Cade Cunningham paced Detroit with 21 points, while Jalen Duren delivered 15 points and 11 boards—his most productive outing of the series.
The Cavaliers’ recurring issues—turnovers, inconsistent effort and difficulty securing rebounds—were evident throughout Game 6. Cleveland was similarly stretched to seven games in the first round against Toronto and now faces another do-or-die situation.
What’s next
Game 7 is scheduled for Sunday at Little Caesars Arena. The Cavaliers, the more experienced roster on paper, have 48 minutes to advance or risk extensive offseason scrutiny. “I heard the word ‘opportunity’ in that locker room,” Atkinson said. “This is supposed to be hard. It will be a great challenge for our group.”
Source: Hoops Wire
