Cade Cunningham has 25 points and
10 assists to lift Pistons past Cavs 107-97 for a 2-0 lead
[May 08, 2026]
By LARRY LAGE
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 25 points and 10 assists, Tobias
Harris scored 21 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland
Cavaliers 107-97 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in their
second-round series.
Game 3 is Saturday in Cleveland, where the Cavs were 4-0 in the
first round against Toronto.
The top-seeded Pistons have won five straight games since Orlando
put them on the brink of elimination in the first round.
“We're going to keep swinging,” reserve guard Daniss Jenkins said.
“We're still trying to prove something to ourselves.”
Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points and Jarrett Allen had 22 points
and seven rebounds, bouncing back from a poor performance in Game 1
for the fourth-seeded Cavs.
James Harden, though, missed 10 of 13 shots and was limited to 10
points. Harden had four turnovers, including one with 33 seconds
left when the Cavs trailed by just six.
“We just wear on you,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “That’s
what our objective is.”
Cleveland's Max Strus scored just three points after he had 19 in
the series opener. The Cavs went 0 for 11 from 3-point range in the
fourth quarter, with Strus having four of the misses.
“Unfortunately, it was not a night where we shot the ball well — 7
of 32 from 3,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said.
Detroit’s Duncan Robinson had 17 points, making 5 of 9 3-pointers,
and Jenkins came off the bench to score 14 points, his third
straight game in double figures.
“I don’t think people can keep up with my pace and my speed,”
Jenkins said.
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Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham takes a shot against Cleveland
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half in Game
2 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series, Thursday, May 7,
2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Cleveland made the first shot but didn’t lead again
until Evan Mobley’s dunk put the visitors ahead 81-79 early in the
fourth quarter.
The Pistons led by 11 points in the first quarter and 14 in the
second quarter.
“I don’t know what it is with the start of games,” Atkinson said.
"They came out super aggressive of course, but it’s the playoffs.
Obviously, we haven’t figured that one out. Still back to the
drawing board.”
The Cavs scored the first six points of the final quarter and
Detroit responded with plays at both ends of the court.
Robinson had a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 9:40 left and Cunningham
made a 3-pointer to put the Pistons ahead by nine points with 2:12
to go, sealing the victory.
Cavs reserve guard Sam Merrill missed Game 2 with a hamstring injury
after he was hurt in in the series opener.
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