Cavaliers cruise past Pistons behind Mitchell’s 35
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The Cleveland Cavaliers wasted little time taking control Monday night, rolling to a 116-95 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.
Donovan Mitchell paced Cleveland (3-1) with 35 points, hitting 13 of 18 attempts and topping the 30-point mark for the third time in four outings this season.
Center Jarrett Allen set the tone early, scoring 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds. The Cavaliers seized command with a 14-0 burst in the second quarter, turning a brief back-and-forth start into a rout.
Evan Mobley added 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists while anchoring Cleveland’s defense. Reserve guard Sam Merrill contributed 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting before leaving with a hip contusion.
Defense fuels runaway win
Cleveland forced 25 Detroit turnovers, repeatedly converting miscues into transition offense. The Pistons (2-2) failed to place anyone above 12 points, with Cade Cunningham limited to 12 on 3-of-14 shooting.
The Cavaliers have now won 13 of the last 14 meetings between the Central Division rivals.
Additional contributions
DeAndre Hunter chipped in 11 points and a team-high six assists for Cleveland, supplementing the starting unit with steady play at both ends.
What’s next
After playing on consecutive nights, the Cavaliers receive one day off before visiting the injury-hit Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Detroit continues its homestand Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Source: Hoops Wire
