Detroit — Already without Cade Cunningham, the Detroit Pistons were extremely short-handed against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena. Tobias Harris was a late scratch due to right Achilles tendinopathy, leaving the Pistons without three starters amid the ongoing absence of Jaden Ivey.
The Pistons fought hard in the final game of the season against their Central Division rival, securing arguably their most impressive win of the season with a 133-122 victory. Detroit improved to 42-32 overall and extended its winning streak to three games.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a season-high 32 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field with seven made 3-point field goals. He scored 19 points during the first half, leading to a 63-58 halftime lead. Behind Hardaway’s play, the Pistons were able to take advantage of the Cavaliers’ fatigue after their interconference contest against the San Antonio Spurs 24 hours earlier.
At the 7:35 mark of the third quarter, Hardaway scored a layup to give the Pistons their largest lead at the time (76-62). Amid a timeout by Kenny Atkinson, coach J.B. Bickerstaff greeted his veteran guard with a celebration. The Pistons went on to have one of their most impressive quarters of the season, outscoring the Cavaliers 38-25.
The Pistons extended their lead by as many as 21 points, but Cleveland embarked on a fourth-quarter comeback. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers’ push by scoring 22 of his game-high 38 points during the period.
With 3:31 remaining in the period, Mitchell nailed a 3-point basket to bring the Cavaliers within two points (119-117). However, on the Pistons’ next possession, Mitchell fouled Malik Beasley (19 points) during his 3-point field goal attempt. After making three consecutive foul shots, Beasley’s free throws were enough to end the Cavaliers’ comeback attempt.
BOX SCORE: Pistons 133, Cavaliers 122
In addition to Hardaway, Jalen Duren was instrumental in keeping the short-handed Pistons afloat, notching his 36th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Dennis Schröder’s production was vital in the Pistons’ upset. He had a near triple-double of 17 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. He connected on a clutch 3-point basket that gave the Pistons a 129-118 lead in the final minute. Schröder came into the game ranked second in the league in assists off the bench (5.0 ast) since joining the Pistons on Feb. 6.
“He’s a competitor, and every single night you watch him whether it’s defensively picking guys up, competing on ball screens, sacrificing his body, hitting the ground, drawing fouls,” Bickerstaff said. “He’s been a starting point guard in the NBA for a long time, and he’s worthy of that…So, we’re fortunate to have him here.
“The thing I love about him is his toughness in big moments. Like in the fourth quarter, he’s got huge courage, and again, his teammates respect him and trust him because of that.”
Observations and notes vs. Cavs
▶ Ausar Thompson’s all-around play:
Ausar Thompson had one of his best performances when it came to showcasing his two-way potential. He finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
▶ Sasser struggles: After putting together the best two-game stretch of his career, Marcus Sasser struggled against the Cavaliers. He finished with four points on 1-of-3 shooting. Sasser averaged 23.5 points on 71.4% shooting from the field while going 8-of-11 on 3-point shooting over the last two games.
▶ Regular season series end vs. Cavs: Despite picking up the win, the Pistons ended their four-game regular-season series losing 3-1 to the Cavaliers.
Up next
The Pistons will embark on a three-game road trip starting on Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They will then play a nationally televised game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday before closing their road trip against the Toronto Raptors on April 4. Tip-off between the Timberwolves and Pistons is scheduled for the Target Center at 7 p.m.
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