The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers will play a Game 7 on Sunday to finish their second-round NBA playoff series. Detroit forced the decisive matchup with a 115-94 win at Cleveland’s Rocket Arena, the Cavs’ first loss at home during the 2026 playoffs.
Cade Cunningham led all scorers with 21 points, while Daniss Jenkins and Jalen Duren each added 15. Duren, in particular, redeemed himself after a poor Game 5 performance with several tough baskets inside, also grabbing 11 rebounds and getting three blocks.
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Before fouling out, Ausar Thompson also tallied a strong all-around performance with 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals. And he played his usual tough defense on the Cleveland guards, though the officials made it difficult for him, calling him for pushing and hand-checking frequently.
James Harden scored 21 for the Cavs, with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley each adding 15. However, the Cavaliers shot only 38% from the floor, with Mitchell shooting 6-for-20. The Pistons played their usually tough defense, but Cleveland also missed many open looks that presented themselves.
A Detroit team that has struggled with outside shooting throughout the playoffs (and regular season) found its touch from long range on Friday. The Pistons shot 44% (16-for-36) from behind the arc, led by Cunningham’s 5-for-10 performance. Duncan Robinson, who missed Game 5 with lower back soreness, returned to shoot 4-for-7 on 3s.
Robinson’s 14 points and 17 from Paul Reed led a 48-point outburst from Detroit’s bench. Marcus Sasser added nine points, followed by eight from Caris LeVert. Meanwhile, Cleveland only got 19 points from its reserves.
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Pistons pulled away in third quarter
After the Cavaliers cut Detroit’s lead to 54-51 at halftime on a 7-0 run, the Pistons began the third quarter with a 14-4 surge to go ahead 68-55. The run was highlighted by consecutive 3-pointers by Cade Cunningham and Daniss Jenkins, providing vital outside shooting for Detroit.
Detroit appeared to take control early in the second quarter with a 21-4 run carrying over from the end of the first quarter. That lifted the Pistons to a double-digit lead, while the Cavaliers committed multiple turnovers against Detroit’s trap and couldn’t hit a shot.
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However, Cleveland chipped away at the deficit with a 7-0 surge before halftime, helped by turnovers by Cunningham. The Cavs went into the locker room only trailing 54-51.
Check out how Game 6 progressed through Yahoo Sports’ live updates. Follow along if you missed the game or want to review the action again.
Live37 updates
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 4:17 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:51 PM PDTIan Casselberry
Cleveland loses its first home game of the 2026 NBA playoffs and they will face the Pistons in Detroit for a Game 7 on Sunday.
Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 points, followed by 15 from Daniss Jenkins and Jalen Duren. Duren redeemed himself with an inside presence scoring and rebounding, grabbing 11 boards with 3 blocks.
James Harden scored 21 for the Cavs, with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley each adding 15. Cleveland shot 38%
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:40 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons open up a 21-point lead on a 3-pointer by Daniss Jenkins, his third of the game.
Detroit has shot 43% (15-of-35) on 3s tonight.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:38 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Jalen Duren grabs a rebound off a Cade Cunningham missed 3-pointer and lays it in for a 109-91 lead.
Detroit has 13 offensive rebounds, 4 of them by Duren. He has 15 points, 11 boards and 3 blocks.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:32 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Ausar Thompson picks up his sixth foul and is out of this game with 3:56 left in the fourth quarter. That might give the Cavaliers a boost with Thompson unable to defend Harden and Mitchell.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:31 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Paul Reed lays in a shot from under the basket to give the Pistons an 18-point lead. He has 14 points and 6 rebounds off the bench in another strong performance off the bench for Detroit.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:25 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons take a 100-85 lead halfway through the fourth quarter on a Tobias Harris fast-break layup. He picked off a pass by James Harden as Dean Wade slipped and ran down the court uncontested.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:23 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Ausar Thompson was whistled for his fifth foul pushing for position with Evan Mobley in the Cavaliers’ backcourt.
That could be a big factor down the stretch, as his defense on James Harden and Donovan Mitchell has been a key.
Thompson has 10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:20 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Jalen Duren knocked down a short turnaround jumper to give him 11 points, two more than he scored in Game 5. He also has 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Pistons have a 94-80 lead with 8:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:14 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Marcus Sasser has provided a big boost off the bench for the Pistons. He drills a 3-pointer to put Detroit up 90-75 less than two minutes into the fourth quarter.
Sasser has 7 points, hitting three of his four shots.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:10 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons end the third quarter on a 10-2 run to take an 84-70 lead into the fourth.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:56 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Jarrett Allen hooks in a shot after grabbing an offensive rebound, one he might not have gotten had Jalen Duren not left the game.
But that cuts Detroit’s lead to 68-61 at the 5:24 mark of the third q
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:52 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Jalen Duren rolled his ankle while fighting his way to the basket and has gone to the locker room. He has 9 points and 7 rebounds halfway through the third quarter, which is better than his entire performance in Game 5.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:46 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Ausar Thompson dunks in a missed layup by Jalen Duren to lift the Pistons’ run to 14-4 to open the third quarter. They need 68-55 with 8:50 left in the third quarter and Cleveland calls timeout.
Thompson has 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:39 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Detroit has come out of the locker room with some aggression. Cade Cunningham sinks another 3-pointer, his fifth of the game, and Daniss Jenkins followed with another long-range shot to boost the Pistons’ lead to 62-52.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:23 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Cleveland probably feels pretty good about cutting the Pistons’ lead to three points at the half. Detroit had a 12-point lead midway through the second quarter.
Cade Cunningham has 16 points with five assists to lead all scorers. But he also has five turnovers, which helped the Cavs get back into the game. Donovan Mitchell has 13 for Cleveland.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:19 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Max Strus hits a 3 to cap off a 7-0 run for Cleveland. He then caused a turnover in Detroit’s backcourt, giving the Cavs a chance to tie the game before halftime. But he missed a 24-footer just before the buzzer and the Pistons take a 54-51 lead to the locker room.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:14 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons are getting some 3-point production from Cade Cunningham and Caris LeVert. Cunningham has hit two consecutive 3s, giving him four for the game thus far, to put Detroit ahead 49-37.
Cunningham has 16 points and 5 assists.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:07 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons have been a bit frentic, beginning with Ausar Thompson getting called for a palming violation right after his flagrant foul.
Following a missed jumper by Daniss Jenkins, Sam Merrill hit a much-needed 3 for Cleveland to cut the deficit to 41-34 halfway through the second quarter.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Ausar Thompson gets called for a flagrant foul, pushing Sam Merrill to the floor and stepping over him.
Thompson grabbing Merrill at the neck is what raised the infraction above a common foul. But he stays in the game with a Flagrant 1 called.
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Fri, May 15, 2026 at 4:53 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The Pistons trapped James Harden in the backcourt and he lost the ball trying to pass off to Dean Wade.
But the pass was low, out of Wade’s reach, and it went out of bounds for Cleveland’s 10th turnover roughly 15 minutes into the game.