The Detroit Pistons lead the series 2-0 against the Cleveland Cavaliers and will play Game 3 on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast nationally on NBC and available for streaming on Peacock.
Key points
Pistons lead series 2-0 against Cavaliers
Game 3 scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast on NBC and streaming on Peacock
Pistons can eliminate Cavaliers with a win
Detroit PistonsCleveland CavaliersEastern Conference semifinals
The Detroit Pistons head to Cleveland on Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 lead over the Cavaliers and a chance to take full control of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, with national coverage on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
After winning the first two games at Little Caesars Arena, the Pistons now have an opportunity to put the top-seeded Cavaliers on the brink of elimination.
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Detroit has earned this 2-0 cushion by controlling the last six quarters of the series. In Game 1, Cade Cunningham set the tone with 23 points while Tobias Harris added 20, pushing the Pistons to a 111-101 win over Cleveland. Detroit pulled away late and looked like the more poised group when it mattered.
Game 2 was more of the same, just with a sharper edge. Cunningham followed it up with 25 points and 10 assists in a 107-97 win, giving the Pistons a 2-0 lead heading to Cleveland. Through two games, thatâs 48 points and 19 assists for Cunningham, and it tracks with the bigger narrative that Detroit is simply executing better in the halfcourt and closing time.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, have been here before in the wrong way. Their struggles away from home in the Donovan Mitchell era have become a talking point, with an Akron Beacon Journal analysis noting that Cleveland is 4-13 in road playoff games over that span after dropping Game 2 in Detroit. The good news for them: theyâre finally back home for Game 3.
Stat
Value
Pistons series lead
2-0
Game 1 score
Pistons 111, Cavs 101
Game 2 score
Pistons 107, Cavs 97
Cunningham points (G1)
23
Cunningham points (G2)
25
Cavs road playoff record (Mitchell era)
4-13
Key Players to Watch
Cade Cunningham, Detroit
This series has run through Cunningham. He has 48 points and 19 assists across the first two games, balancing scoring and playmaking in a way that has Cleveland scrambling. Cunningham is the engine of everything the Pistons are doing, with 23 points in Game 1 and 25 with 10 assists in Game 2 powering their 2-0 start.
On the road, the next step for Cunningham is handling the inevitable Cavs run and the crowd surge. But through two games, Detroitâs offense has clearly taken on his personality: patient, opportunistic, and comfortable attacking mismatches.
Tobias Harris, Detroit
Harris quietly changed the shape of Game 1 with 20 points, giving Detroit a second reliable scorer alongside Cunningham per the Game 1 game story. For Game 3, his ability to score in the midrange and space the floor is a swing factor, especially if Cleveland loads up on Cunninghamâs drives and pick-and-rolls.
Clevelandâs stars
Clevelandâs side of the story is about urgency. WKYCâs Game 3 preview underscores that the Cavaliers âhave a prime chanceâ at home to reassert themselves and that this game is a test of their composure and shot-making under pressure according to WKYC. The Beacon Journal, meanwhile, calls out the teamâs âmental fortitudeâ issues on the road, but that cuts both ways; their best players now have to show that the home floor still belongs to them.
What to Watch For
Can Cade Cunningham continue his dominant play?
Will Tobias Harris provide another strong scoring performance?
How will Cleveland respond with its season beginning to slip away?
Prediction
The betting markets have adjusted to Detroitâs start, but most odds pieces still treat this as a competitive series with Cleveland getting respect at home. A recent odds breakdown of the second round noted that series favorites and home teams are still being priced aggressively in spots like this, even when the road underdog is up 2-0 as analyzed by The Athletic. In other words, youâre not getting Detroit at the same number you would have before Game 1, but the market hasnât fully tilted either.
If youâre betting this game, youâre really choosing between two beliefs. Either you think Clevelandâs home floor and a natural shooting bump will finally show up, or you think Detroitâs composure and Cunninghamâs playmaking travel.
The data we actually have in this series says Detroit has consistently generated cleaner offense and executed late-game situations better. Cunninghamâs 48 points and 19 assists are not empty numbers; theyâve led directly to two wins and back-to-back double-digit margins. The Cavaliersâ road issues arenât the headline for Game 3, but their overall inconsistency is, and WKYCâs framing of this as a âtime is running outâ moment for Cleveland underscores how much pressure is on the home side per their preview.
For fans trying to pick a side, the numbers say lean toward continuity. Detroit has covered the spread comfortably in both games of this series and has the best player on the floor so far. Cleveland is due for a punch, and the crowd will help, but until the Cavs show they can consistently crack Detroitâs defense and match Cunninghamâs control, the smart play is to ride the team thatâs been tougher, more organized, and more trustworthy through two games.
Prediction:
Cleveland should play with more urgency at home, but until the Cavaliers prove they can slow Cade Cunningham and consistently execute late, Detroit remains the safer side. The Pistons are live to win outright and are a solid play against the spread.