Tim Hardaway Jr. delivered his best performance of the season, dropping 32 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 133-122 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. The win secured Detroit’s first winning season since 2016 and ended a 12-game losing streak against Cleveland.
The Pistons (42-32) played without star guard Cade Cunningham, who remained sidelined with a calf injury, but still managed to dominate the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers (59-15). Hardaway shot 10-for-18 from the field, including 7-of-11 from beyond the arc, to spearhead Detroit’s offense.
Dennis Schroder stepped up in Cunningham’s absence, finishing with 16 points and 10 assists. Jalen Duren recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Ausar Thompson added 18 points and 10 boards.
Detroit controlled the game with its transition play, outscoring Cleveland 25-6 in fast-break points. The Pistons also finished with a 38-25 third-quarter advantage, creating an 18-point lead heading into the final period.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell put up 38 points, including 22 in the fourth quarter, as he tried to rally the Cavaliers. His three-pointer with 3:31 left cut Detroit’s lead to 119-117, but the Pistons responded with a decisive 12-1 run to close out the win.
Darius Garland contributed 21 points, while Evan Mobley was held to just nine. The Cavaliers struggled defensively, allowing Detroit to shoot 47.8% from the field and 44.1% from deep.
Cleveland is now one win away from reaching 60 victories for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Meanwhile, Detroit has its sights set on reaching 45 wins, a feat the franchise has not accomplished since 2007-08.
The Pistons have eight games left in the regular season and are pushing to solidify their playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Cunningham remains day-to-day, but Detroit’s depth stepped up in his absence against the conference’s top team.
