Not Dead Yet: Pistons Survive Cavs, Back To Detroit For Game 7

Center Jalen Duren (0) was a problem for Cleveland all night, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. He converted 7-of-10 field goal attempts and was relentless on the offensive glass, helping Detroit dominate the paint 48–26 for the game. (Photo by Cleveland.com)

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	Cade Cunningham paced the starters with 21 points and a game-high 8 assists, burying five three-pointers despite 7 turnovers. (Photo by Cleveland.com)
	Not Dead Yet: Pistons Survive Cavs, Back To Detroit For Game 7 Willis Jones - Sports Tell Us Detroit News Bureau CLEVELAND - The Detroit Pistons delivered a statement performance on the road Friday night, dismantling the Cleveland Cavaliers 115–94 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to force a deciding Game 7. The top-seeded Pistons, facing elimination just days ago, have now won last game to even the series at three apiece. Detroit controlled this one from the opening tip, outscoring Cleveland in every quarter. The Pistons led 27–25 after the first, extended the margin to 54–51 at the half, and then blew the game open in a dominant third quarter, outscoring the Cavs 30–19 to take a commanding 84–70 advantage into the fourth. They never looked back. Bench Erupts The biggest story of the night was Detroit's bench, which outscored Cleveland's reserves 48–19. Daniss Jenkins came off the bench to pour in 15 points on 45.5% shooting, including three triples, while Duncan Robinson connected on 4-of-7 from beyond the arc for 14 points. Paul Reed was a force in the frontcourt with 17 points and six rebounds on 77.8% shooting, giving Detroit big contributions from unlikely heroes when it mattered most. Duren Dominates the Paint Center Jalen Duren was a problem for Cleveland all night, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. He converted 7-of-10 field goal attempts and was relentless on the offensive glass, helping Detroit dominate the paint 48–26 for the game. Duren also chipped in a flagrant foul-drawing sequence that swung momentum late in the third. Cunningham Runs the Show Cade Cunningham paced the starters with 21 points and a game-high 8 assists, burying five three-pointers despite 7 turnovers. Ausar Thompson added 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals with his typically relentless defensive energy. Cavaliers Come Up Short Cleveland could not find a rhythm offensively, shooting just 39% from the field. Donovan Mitchell struggled badly, going 6-of-20 for 18 points with a bruising minus-25 on the night. James Harden led the Cavs with 23 points but committed 8 turnovers, and Cleveland as a team coughed the ball up 20 times — leading directly to 30 Detroit points off turnovers. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen each chipped in 18 and 13 points respectively, but Cleveland's second unit simply couldn't keep pace. Looking Ahead The series now shifts back to Detroit for a winner-take-all Game 7, scheduled for Sunday, May 17 at 8:00 PM ET at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons, who entered the postseason as the East's top seed, are currently slight favorites at 61.7% to advance, per projections. The winner will face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.