The Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the East-leading Detroit Pistons 113-109 despite playing without Donovan Mitchell on Tuesday night.
Jaylon Tyson had 22 points, James Harden added 18, Evan Mobley added 18, and Dennis Schroder added 15 for the Cavs, after splitting their four regular-season games with Detroit.
Mitchell sat out his fourth straight game with a nagging groin strain.
On the other hand, Jalen Duren tallied 24 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons, and Tobias Harris added 19. Cade Cunningham dished out 14 assists, but scored only 10 on 4-of-16 shooting.
The Pistons’ road winning streak ended at six games.
Detroit cut the edge with an 11-point deficit to one in the fourth, but Sam Merrill hit a big three-pointer to help the Cavs hang on.
Meanwhile, it was the last meeting between the Cavaliers and the Pistons before the playoffs, a rivalry that has been reborn, following the Cavs’ overtime road loss last week, saying the Pistons “are not in our class.”
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was fired by the Cavs in 2024 and dismissed the bravado before Tuesday’s game.
Cleveland center Jarrett Allen has been having one of the best stretches of his career, but suffered a knee injury in the third and did not return.
Isaiah Steward returned from a seven-game league suspension and played 22 minutes.
Up Next: The Pistons at San Antonio on Thursday, while the Cavaliers host the Celtics on Sunday.
