Cleveland — Navigating through adversity. The Detroit Pistons arrived in Cleveland on Thursday night, still recovering from a heartbreaking loss 24 hours earlier at Little Caesars Arena. On one hand, had the referees called a foul at the end of regulation, a single free throw could have put the Pistons back in control of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On the other hand, if they hadn’t surrendered a nine-point lead in the final three minutes of Game 5, the Pistons would have returned to Rocket Arena for Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead, giving them two opportunities to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2008. But in reality, the Pistons returned to Cleveland with their backs against the wall, down in the series and fighting to stave off elimination.
However, the Pistons have established a strong reputation for thriving through adversity, which has become a cornerstone of their success since the franchise’s resurgence began last season.
“It’s the trust and belief in one another. There is a genuine want to succeed for the guy next to you,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “For this group, they do not want to go through what they had to go through the year before we got here (2023-2024), but that brought them together in a way that you cannot recreate.
“That was a time when everyone was talking about them negatively. They had to support one another to get through that. That has helped them get through difficult moments. With them, there is no insecurity in the chemistry or the concept of team.”
BOX SCORE: Pistons 115, Cavaliers 94
Friday night, the Pistons had no other choice but to lean on one another in front of a hostile sellout crowd. For the second time this postseason, they had to avoid elimination on the road. And for the second time, Detroit prevailed. This time, in a 115-94 victory over the Cavaliers.
With the win, the Pistons have tied the Eastern Conference Semifinals at 3-3 and have forced Game 7 Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena. Tip-off is slated for 8 P.M.
“It is all about sticking together and staying in the moment,” Cade Cunningham said. “When things get ugly, we come together as a team. We talk. We get back in the moment and move forward as one.”
Cunningham led the way with 21 points, 16 of which came in the first half. He also added eight assists but accounted for seven of Detroit’s 17 turnovers. However, the Pistons held off the Cavaliers with a collective effort. Six players scored in double figures, which was headlined by Jalen Duren.
The All-Star big man entered the series struggling, averaging only 9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds over the first five games of the series. His teammates — including Daniss Jenkins (15 points) — offered words of encouragement, urging him to keep his “spirit up” despite the challenges he was facing.
Duren had his best performance of the series with 15 points and 11 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds and two blocks. He rolled his ankle midway in the third period but persevered through the injury, helping his team finish strong in the fourth quarter.
“I thought his aggression was great,” Cunningham said. “When he had the ball or didn’t have the ball, like rebounding outside of his area, he did a lot of great things tonight. That’s who he is, and that is who we needed him to be in these playoffs. He set the tone for us.”
In addition to overcoming adversity, the Pistons have a unique ability to apply lessons learned from difficult moments.
Between Games 4 and 5, the Pistons held halftime leads in both games but collapsed in the final 24 minutes. Over the last two games, they averaged 45.0 points in the second half, with offensive and defensive net ratings of 113.7 and 119.3, respectively. In Game 6, they learned from their mistakes and produced what could be considered their best 24 minutes of the playoffs.
After leading 54-51 at the half, the Pistons outscored the Cavaliers 61-43 during the final two quarters. They held Cleveland to 29.3% shooting in the second half, including 27.8% on 3-pointers. Detroit won the third quarter 30-19. James Harden led Cleveland with 23 points, while Donovan Mitchell added 18.
“We did what needed to be done,” Bickerstaff said. “When we are at our best, the defense is going to carry us. I was pleased that we were allowed to play our style of basketball, where we can be physical and make it difficult for people. Up and down the roster, we did a good job of that, which helped us close the game out.”
The Pistons’ bench unit posted a postseason-high 48 points, delivering its best performance of the series. Paul Reed, Marcus Sasser, and Caris LeVert contributed 17, nine, and eight points, respectively.
Observations and notes
66 years in the making: The Pistons secured a 21-point win, tying the 1960 St. Louis Hawks for the largest Game 6 road victory by a team trailing 3-2 in an NBA series. The Hawks achieved the feat with a Game 6 victory over the Minneapolis Lakers.
Robinson returns: After missing Game 5 due to a back injury, Duncan Robinson returned to the lineup. He finished with 14 points while shooting 4-of-7 from behind the arc in 20 minutes. However, Robinson returned from injury in a new role, as he came off the bench for the first time this season.
Bickerstaff decided to keep Daniss Jenkins in the starting lineup just to see how Robinson was feeling. At various points during the game, Robinson could be seen with what appeared to be a heating pad around his back. He mainly served as a backup to Ausar Thompson, given that he spent most of the night in foul trouble.
Ausar’s impact: Ausar Thompson delivered one of his most impactful performances, but he faced several challenges throughout the game. He fouled out at the 3:56 mark of the fourth quarter after accumulating several minor fouls. At one point, it seemed like the Cavaliers were drawing fouls against him intentionally. Despite the frustration, Thompson had one of his best all-around performances, contributing 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals in 24 minutes.
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Pistons force Game 7 with clutch road win against Cavs
Reporting by Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
