Cavaliers close out the preseason with a 118-100 win over Detroit
BY TIM SHIRER
CAVS BET WRITER
(CLEVELAND, OH) - The Cleveland Cavaliers completed the 2025-26 NBA preseason on Tuesday night at Rocket Arena as they welcomed the Detroit Pistons to Cleveland. The script was vastly different from the previous two contests against the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics as the Cavs gave the core starters a lot of minutes and blew out the Pistons 118-100.
Though it was a preseason game that didn’t count prior to the game in his pregame press conference Cavs bench boss Kenny Atkinson did say “It would be nice to get a win.” Atkinson, now in his second season as the Cavs head coach, was winless in seven preseason games over the two seasons entering Tuesday night’s game. The Cavs started a group that could possible be the five starters on opening night in New York. Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen took the floor to start the game. The Cavs dominated for most of the opening quarter with the starters in for a large percentage leading at the end of the period 42-31. Mitchell led all scorers with 13 points in 10 minutes. Ron Holland II led the Pistons with nine points in the opening quarter.
The game remained close for most of the second quarter heading into halftime as Atkinson mixed the starting five with other guys who will make up the rotation for the remainder of the second quarter. Mitchell played 16 of the 24 minutes in the first half. Mobley played 18 first half minutes. As the two clubs headed into the locker room for the intermission the Cavs led 62-57. Mitchell finished the half with 15 points, Hunter had 14. Holland II led Detroit with 11.
Hunter left the game in the third quarter with a hip injury and did not return. Hunter was on track to be in the starting lineup on opening night next week with Max Strus on the injured list to start the season. The game with Atkinson and JB Bickerstaff using many combinations remained close as the Cavs were ahead 86-77 when the third period clock hit zero. Tobias Harris of the Pistons was leading all scorers through three with 19 points. Mitchell paced the Cavs with 17 points.
Unlike most preseason games some of the Cav’s starters, Mitchell, Allen, and Mobley saw significant fourth quarter minutes. Mitchell finally left the game with 3:53 left when he picked up his sixth personal foul. He finished with 17 points in 25 minutes. At that point, with the Cavs up 20 Atkinson cleared the bench and some guy who most likely be in the rotation to start the season entered the game.
Next up for the Cavs is the season opener on October 22 in New York at Madison Square Garden against Eastern Conference rival New York Knicks at 7 pm. The Cavs trail the Knicks in the all-time series 121-109 and are just 43-71 all-time at MSG. The all-time series is closer than it looks. The Cavaliers lost the first eight games of the series when the Cavs entered the league in 1970.
POSTED 10/14/2025 21:54
Lake County Sentinel
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