Pistons Defeat Cavs, Securing Historic Winning Season Milestone

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DETROIT (AP)— Tim Hardaway Jr. delivered an outstanding performance, scoring a season-high 32 points, leading the Detroit Pistons to a 133-122 victory over the Eastern Conference’s top team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Friday night. This win secured the Pistons’ first winning season since 2016.

Detroit overcame a spectacular 38-point showing from Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, who netted 22 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Despite missing Cade Cunningham (calf injury), the Pistons were able to break a 12-game losing streak against the Cavaliers.

Dennis Schroder, stepping in for Cunningham, contributed 16 points and 10 assists, while Jalen Duren added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Ausar Thompson also made an impact with 18 points and 10 rebounds, marking a significant achievement for Detroit, which has struggled to reach 25 wins in the previous five seasons.

With eight regular-season games left, the Pistons (42-32) have the opportunity to claim 45 victories—something they haven’t achieved since their impressive 59-23 record in the 2007-08 season, the last time they won a playoff game.

Darius Garland scored 21 points for Cleveland, which hadn’t lost to Detroit since February 24, 2022, when current Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was coaching the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers found themselves down 108-89 with just over eight minutes left but rallied back to 119-117 thanks to Mitchell’s 3-point shot with 3:31 remaining. However, Detroit responded decisively with a 12-1 run to secure the victory.

This 133-122 win against Cleveland marked the Pistons’ 42nd victory of the season, making them the second team in NBA history to triple their win total from the previous year, joining the Charlotte team that improved from seven to 21 wins between 2011 and 2013.

Tim Hardaway Jr. achieved a season-high 32 points with an impressive 7-of-11 from beyond the arc. pic.twitter.com/0f63x7w01i

— Pistons PR (@Pistons_PR) March 29, 2025

Highlights

Cavaliers: Just one win away from their first 60-win season since 2009-10.

Pistons: Cunningham is sidelined for a third consecutive game and is currently day-to-day.

Turning Point

Hardaway scored 10 points as the Pistons kicked off the second half with a 13-4 run, establishing a 76-62 lead. By the end of the quarter, they had increased their advantage to 18 points, finishing the quarter with a 38-25 lead.

Key Stat

The Pistons dominated in fast-break points, outscoring the Cavaliers 25-6.

Next Up

Both teams are in action on Monday, with Cleveland hosting the Los Angeles Clippers, while Detroit heads to Minnesota to begin a three-game road trip.