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  3. /Pistons hold off Cavs to win series-opener
NBA·Recap

Pistons hold off Cavs to win series-opener

Yahoo Sports1h ago2 min readOriginal source →
Pistons hold off Cavs to win series-opener

TL;DR

The Detroit Pistons defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101 in the series opener of the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals, taking a 1-0 lead. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 23 points, while Donovan Mitchell scored 23 for Cleveland.

Key points

  • Pistons won 111-101 against Cavaliers in series opener
  • Cade Cunningham scored 23 points for Detroit
  • Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 23 points
  • Pistons aim to protect home court in the series
  • Detroit previously came back from 3-1 down in the first round
Detroit PistonsCleveland Cavaliers

Detroit's Cade Cunningham (right) marks Cleveland's James Harden in the Pistons' series-opening win over the Cavaliers (Gregory Shamus)
Detroit's Cade Cunningham (right) marks Cleveland's James Harden in the Pistons' series-opening win over the Cavaliers (Gregory Shamus)
Detroit's Cade Cunningham (right) marks Cleveland's James Harden in the Pistons' series-opening win over the Cavaliers (Gregory Shamus) (Gregory Shamus/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP) Cade Cunningham scored 23 points as the Detroit Pistons held off a second-half rally to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101 and take a 1-0 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final playoff series on Tuesday. The top-seeded Pistons looked to be cruising to a comfortable opening win after dominating in the first half and taking a 17-point lead in the third period. But a spirited Cleveland rally saw the Cavaliers close to within four points before Detroit finally pulled clear again in the fourth quarter to seal victory. Cunningham was one of six Detroit players to finish in double figures, with Tobias Harris adding 20 points while Duncan Robinson bagged five three-pointers on his way to a 19-point haul at the Pistons' Little Caesars Arena. Daniss Jenkins added 12 points from the bench with Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren scoring 11 points apiece. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 23 points, including four three-pointers, while James Harden scored 22 points with eight rebounds and seven assists. "It was a great team win -- defending the ball, rebounding the ball," Cunningham told NBC television. "We've got a great system in place. You've got somebody that will come in behind you whenever you get tired. "But it's one win, we've got to come back and do it again." Detroit had battled into the conference semi-finals after coming back from 3-1 down to defeat Orlando 4-3 in the first round. Cunningham said the Pistons are anxious to avoid a repeat. "At home you've got to protect home court. We didn't do that in the last series so we want do that this series," Cunningham said. "They want to come in and steal one, so we've got to do this again the day after tomorrow." rcw/pst

Q&A

What was the final score of the Pistons vs Cavaliers game?

The final score was 111-101 in favor of the Detroit Pistons.

Who were the top scorers in the Pistons vs Cavaliers game?

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 23 points, while Donovan Mitchell also scored 23 points for the Cavaliers.

What is the significance of the Pistons' win over the Cavaliers?

The Pistons' victory gives them a 1-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals, crucial for their playoff advancement.

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