Cavaliers end their skid with 110-91 win over Bickerstaff's Pistons

BY TIM SHIRER

CAVALIERS BEAT WRITER

(CLEVELAND, OH) - The 2024-25 Cleveland Cavaliers (37-9, 22-3 home) are in uncharted territory right now and hoped to leave it on Monday night as they host the Detroit Pistons (23-23, 13-12 away) and their former head coach JB Bickerstaff. The Cavs successfully completed their mission as they ended their three-game skid and easily handled the Pistons 110-91.

The Cavs jumped out to a 10-4 lead with 9:21 left on the first quarter clock when Donovan Mitchell hit a three pointer. The Pistons cut the Cavs lead to 12-10 with 7:34 left in the first quarter on a dunk by Jalen Duran. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson followed the play by calling an immediate timeout. Then with 6:12 left Cade Cunningham tied the score 12-12 when he drove the lane and scored. Ty Jerome quickly gave Cleveland the lead back 14-12 with 5:51 left in the opening quarter. The Cavs lead grew to five with 4:47 left when Darius Garland hit a long three. With 2:37 Jerome extended the Cavs lead to 23-17. As the first quarter ended the Cavs led 26-23, it was the first time in seven games that they led as the first quarter ended. Mitchell and Cunningham were the leading scorers, each had eight first quarter points. Neither team shot well in the first quarter with the Cavs shooting 41% (9 of 22) and the Pistons shot 39% (9 of 23) from the field. Both teams were also putrid from behind the three-point arc as the Detroit shot 22% (2 of 9) and the Cavs were even worse 18% (2 of 11). The Cavs had a slight edge on the boards 11-10.

After the Pistons tied the game 28-28 the Cavs regained the lead with 8:29 left when Jerome hit a jumper putting the Cavs up two. With 6:40 left JB Bickerstaff challenged a jump ball, it was unsuccessful, and the Cavs got possession of the ball and Max Strus took advantage hitting a three with 6:35 left giving Cleveland a 35-28 lead. Bothe teams were out of challenges as Atkinson challenged a call in the first quarter and it was unsuccessful. With 4:49 left, The Cavs lead was nine points at 41-32 and Bickerstaff took a timeout. With 2:19 Jarrett Allen hit a hook shot in the paint courtesy of a nice pass from Mitchell to put the Cavs up 50-40. Evan Mobley then gave the Cavs their largest lead of the first half 52-40 when he scored in the paint with 1:41 left in the first half. When the second quarter buzzer sounded the Cavs led 55-45. The 45 points given up by the Cavs was their best defensive effort since January 12th when they held the Pacers to 41 first half points, the Cavs however took the loss in the game 108-93 giving up 67 second half points. Allen and Cunningham led all scorers with 12 points apiece. The Cavs shot 42% (20 of 48) meanwhile the Pistons shot 37% (18 of 49). The Pistons improved their three-point percentage in the second quarter hitting 4 of 9 and shot 37% (6 of 18) in the first half while the Cavs continued to struggle shooting only 17% (4 of 23) from long range in the opening half. The Cavs did outrebound the Pistons 27-24.

With 6:25 left in the third quarter, the Cavs lead was 66-51 after a jumper by Jerome. With 5:14 left Cunningham picked up his third foul when he fouled Allen on a fast break after Allen stole the ball from Malik Beasley giving Cleveland a 67-53 lead. The Cavs started to take command of the game with 3:08 left when Georges Niang hit a three and gave Cleveland a 74-56 lead. Bickerstaff took an immediate timeout. The Piston then went on a 6-0 run to cut the Cavs lead to 74-62 with 2:10 left after Niang committed two fouls within 44 seconds and then 50 seconds later, he committed his fifth foul of the game and was sent to the bench, replaced by Jaylon Tyson. The Period ended with the Cavs up 82-67 after Jerome hit a three with :03.1 left on the game clock. Mitchell and Cunningham led all scorers through three with 18 points each. The Cavs were shooting 44% (31 of 70) from the field through three, while the Pistons were shooting just 38% (27 of 72). The Cavs continued to struggle from three-point range shooting only 20% (7 of 35) while the Pistons were not much better shooting 25% (8 of 31). The Cavs continued to dominate the boards 42-33 led by Mobley who had 12 boards through three quarters.

With 8:43 left in the fourth quarter the Cavs lead was down to 13 at 88-75 after they turned the ball over and Duren scored at the other end. With 6:53 left the NBA office called a foul on Allen where he made no contact with the shooter Cunningham and was called for his third foul. Cunningham made both free throws cutting the Cavs lead to 93-79. With 5:09 left the Cavs took their biggest lead of the game to that point 100-81 when Garland drained a three from the top of the arc. The Cavs finished the Pistons off with 4:15 left when Strus hit a tree from near the top of the arc, giving Cleveland their largest lead of the game at 105-83. With 3:22 left and the Cavs up 105-86 Atkinson was comfortable enough to clear the Cavs bench. The bench did their job and kept the lead at 19 as the Cavs picked up the win 110-91.

Cunningham and Garland led all scorers with 22 points each. Mitchell had 21 for the Cavs. Allen had 15 points and pulled down 11 boards for his 25th double double of the season. Mobley also notched a double double, his 19th of the season scoring 11 points and pulling down 14 boards.

As a team the Cavs shot 44% (40 of 91) from the field while the Cavs defense was better as Detroit shot only 38% (37 of 95). The Cavs perimeter defense which had been an issue in recent games was much better on Monday night as they held the Pistons to 29% (10 of 35) from behind the three line. The Cavs were cold as ice in the first half from long range but warmed up the second half shooting 8 of 21 in the second half to finish the game shooting 27% from downtown. The Cavs dominated the boards all night outrebounding the Pistons 53-44.

The Cavs will be back in action on Wednesday night as they travel to South Beach as they take on the Miami Heat (22-22, 11-9 home) at 7:30 pm at the Kaseya Center. It will be the second meeting of the season. The Cavs dropped the first meeting also in South Beach on December 8th 122-113..