The Pistons won Game 1 against the Cavaliers 111-101, leading the series 1-0. Key factors include Detroit's strong defense, forcing 19 turnovers, and a significant free throw advantage.
Key points
Pistons won Game 1, 111-101
Detroit forced 19 turnovers
Cavaliers attempted only 16 free throws
Pistons have four straight playoff wins at home
Cleveland is 0-4 on the road in playoffs
PistonsCavaliers
Pistons vs Cavaliers – Game 2 NBA Playoffs – predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for May 7
Detroit won Game 1, 111-101, versus Cleveland to give the Pistons four-straight wins overall and at home in the playoffs. Unlike the first round, Detroit is up 1-0 in the semifinals behind an all-around team effort.
Six different players scored 11 or more points for the Pistons in Game 1, with all five starters doing so. Detroit forced 19 turnovers and only committed 11 themselves, which was the biggest storyline. The Pistons and Cavaliers shot nearly identical, but Detroit attempted 35 free throws to Cleveland's 16. The turnover battle and free throw edge will be what to watch for in Game 2.
Can Cleveland get consistent scoring help outside of Donovan Mitchell (23) and James Harden (22)? Max Strus (19) and Evan Mobley (14) were the only other players to reach double figures for the Cavaliers. Cleveland is now 0-4 on the road in the playoffs and could use a victory in Detroit to settle the score before heading home where Cleveland is 4-0 during the playoffs. The home team in general, is 8-0 this postseason in Cleveland's two series.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of
Q&A
What were the final scores in the Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 1?
The Pistons won Game 1 with a score of 111-101 against the Cavaliers.
How many turnovers did the Pistons force in Game 1 against the Cavaliers?
The Pistons forced 19 turnovers during Game 1 against the Cavaliers.
What is the Pistons' playoff record at home this postseason?
The Pistons have won four straight games at home in the playoffs this postseason.
What challenges are the Cavaliers facing in Game 2 of the playoffs?
The Cavaliers need consistent scoring support beyond Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, as they are currently 0-4 on the road in the playoffs.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Time: 7:10 PM EST
Site: Little Caesars Arena
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latestNBA Player Newsfor all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy ofDraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (-162), Cleveland Cavaliers (+136)
Spread: Pistons -3.5
Total: 215.5 points
This game opened Pistons -3.5 with the Total set at 215.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Kevin Huerter (hip) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 2. He missed Game 1.
Important stats, trends and insights: Pistons vs. Magic
Detroit is 48-42 ATS and 20-20 ATS as the home favorite
Detroit is 48-41-1 to the Under
Detroit is 24-21 to the Under at home
Detroit is 21-19 to the Under as a home favorite
Detroit is 24-21 ATS as the home team
Cleveland is 36-54 ATS, ranking second-worst
Cleveland is 17-28 ATS as the road team, ranking second-worst
Cleveland is 8-6 ATS as the road underdog, ranking fifth-worst
Cleveland is 45-45 to the Over
Cleveland is 25-20 to the Over as the road team, ranking fifth-best
Cleveland is 8-6 to the Under as a road underdog
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s Cavaliers and Pistons’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers +3.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 215.5
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