Cade Cunningham had 27 points, six rebounds and seven assists, and Daniss Jenkins scored 21 of his 25 points in the second quarter, giving the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons a 114-110 win over the host Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon.
Donovan Mitchell had 10 points in the fourth to pull Cleveland within 108-106, but was stripped by Isaiah Stewart in the frontcourt with 36 seconds remaining. Ausar Thompson tipped in a basket at the other end to make it 110-106 Detroit.
Two-way guard Jenkins then made four free throws in the final six seconds to ice the win for the Pistons, who had lost nine straight games in Cleveland and are 2-13 against their Central Division rival in the last 15 meetings.
Jenkins went 7-of-7 from the field, 6-of-6 on 3-point attempts and 1-of-1 from the foul line while playing all 12 minutes in the second, helping Detroit score a season-high 47 points and seize a 66-56 halftime lead.
The Pistons made all 21 of their free-throw attempts with Cunningham sinking 11. Duncan Robinson had 12 points and Javonte Green scored 11 off the bench as Detroit won for the second time in its last five contests.
Mitchell finished with 30 points — 23 in the second half — and fellow guard Darius Garland had 16 points and six assists. The Cavaliers had a three-game winning streak snapped and went 2-1 on their homestand.
Sam Merrill and Evan Mobley scored 15 points apiece for Cleveland, which trailed 106-93 with 4:41 left before Mitchell erupted for seven points in a 59-second span. Garland made a jumper to get the Cavaliers within two with 1:156 on the clock.
Merrill had nine points on three 3-pointers as Cleveland built a 28-19 advantage in the first. Jenkins’ second quarter barrage put the Pistons ahead for good.
Pistons center Jalen Duren (right ankle sprain), power forward Tobias Harris (left hip sprain) and shooting guard Caris LeVert (left knee inflammation) did not travel to Cleveland and are out indefinitely.
Duren, who is averaging 17.9 points and 10.6 rebounds, will have his status updated in a week and Harris will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (illness) and power forward Dean Wade (left knee bruise) were pregame scratches, moving Merrill into the starting lineup.
–Field Level Media
