6 May 2026

Pistons 111-101 Cavaliers: Detroit take Game 1

The top seed in the East struck first. Detroit beat Cleveland 111-101 at Little Caesars Arena, taking a 1-0 lead in the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference semifinals. In front of 20,062 fans, the Pistons built a big early cushion, survived a fourth-quarter tie, and closed with composure.

Detroit’s start set the tone

The Pistons ripped a 37-21 first quarter, powered by 11-of-12 free throws and four made threes. Cleveland coughed up six turnovers in the opening frame, a theme that lingered. Duncan Robinson’s shooting stretched the floor, Cade Cunningham orchestrated, and Detroit’s defense turned pressure into points. By halftime it was 59-46, with the hosts owning the rhythm and the glass.

Cleveland’s charge, then Detroit’s answer

The Cavaliers clawed back after the break, winning the third 30-24 behind Max Strus and Donovan Mitchell. James Harden then authored a fourth-quarter flurry, drilling a three and sinking three free throws to tie it 93-93 with just over seven minutes left. Detroit responded immediately. Jalen Duren scored three straight inside buckets, Tobias Harris cashed key free throws, and Daniss Jenkins finished it with two clutch free throws and a late layup to seal 111-101.

Numbers that mattered

– Turnovers told the story: Cleveland 19, Detroit 11. The Pistons also won steals 12-7.
– Detroit attacked the paint and the stripe, finishing 27-of-35 at the line, while Cleveland went 15-of-16.
– The Pistons edged rebounds 45-41 and grabbed 16 offensive boards to keep possessions alive.
– Detroit led for 43:45 and built a largest lead of 18, while the Cavaliers were ahead for only 2:53.
– Triples were nearly a wash, Detroit 10-of-26 and Cleveland 14-of-38, but the extra possessions and free throws swung Game 1.

Standouts and Sofascore Rating

Duncan Robinson led Detroit’s scoring spark with 19 points and five threes, earning a Sofascore Rating of 7.9, the best among Pistons. Cade Cunningham posted 23 points and 7 assists, including 9-of-11 at the line, with a Sofascore Rating of 7.4. Jalen Duren owned the glass with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks, plus a team-best +17 and a 7.7 Sofascore Rating. Daniss Jenkins added 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals, and closed the game.

For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell had 23 points and James Harden added 22 points with 7 assists, though the Cavaliers’ backcourt combined for 10 turnovers. Max Strus chipped in 19 points and four threes. Evan Mobley delivered 14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. On Sofascore, Strus posted 7.5, Mobley 7.4, Harden 7.2, and Mitchell 7.1.

Detroit leads the series 1-0. Find the complete box score, advanced stats, and every Sofascore Rating from Game 1 on Sofascore, and keep an eye on live data for the rest of the series.

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