Detroit Pistons skewered in the middle by Cleveland Cavaliers, 112-88
The Cleveland Cavaliers took the floor at Little Caesars Arena missing their top two players, All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. It presented a prime opportunity for the Detroit Pistons, reeling from a road blowout against the Milwaukee Bucks but less than a week removed from an upset over the Golden State Warriors, to get back on track.
Instead, the Pistons put together their worst effort of the season. It didn’t matter that both of Cleveland’s lead ball-handlers were in street clothes. For the final three quarters, the Cavaliers thoroughly outplayed a Pistons team that struggled to shoot, move the ball and protect the paint.
The Pistons fell to the Cavaliers, 112-88, and have now lost eight of their first 10 games. They had three starters reach double figures in scoring, but shot just 37.3% while allowing Cleveland to shoot 54.3%. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 19 points, and Jaden Ivey and Saddiq Bey scored 18 apiece. Isaiah Livers also added 11 points off the bench. Detroit's shooting percentage and final point total were both season lows.
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Detroit had 18 turnovers and just 16 assists. Cleveland, on the other hand, moved the ball expertly despite their missing guards. Michigan alumnus Caris LeVert, a 6-foot-6 wing, started at point guard. Raul Neto was the only other point guard to play Friday. Despite that, the Cavaliers tallied 29 assists against 18 turnovers.
Pistons have issues against Cleveland’s size
Twice this week, the Pistons had to contend with the Bucks’ superior length. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez are one of the NBA’s most formidable frontcourt duos, and they stymied Detroit on Wednesday after nearly allowing a comeback win on Monday.
Cleveland also boasts one of the NBA’s best frontcourts, and Jarret Allen and Evan Mobley posed problems for Detroit as well. Jalen Duren missed his third straight game with a left ankle sprain, and Marvin Bagley III has yet to return from a sprained MCL. Isaiah Stewart got into early foul trouble, picking up two within the first six minutes of the game. It helped Allen, who made his first All-Star game in 2022, get rolling early. He finished with 23 points and seven rebounds, making 11 of 16 shots.
Kevin Love also flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. He picked up the playmaking slack for a Cavs team that needed a playmaker.
Slow start for Hayes continues
It’s been a less-than-ideal start to the season for Killian Hayes, the Pistons’ third-year point guard, to say the least. Hayes entered Friday’s game shooting 9-for-52 overall (17.3%) and 3-for-17 from 3 (17.6%). He showed flashes of an improved interior game during preseason, and spent the offseason overhauling his shooting mechanics.
It hasn’t translated to the season yet. Hayes finished Friday’s game with two points on 1-for-3 shooting, two assists and two turnovers in 18 minutes. It could be an early slump, but Hayes would’ve benefitted from hitting the ground running after inefficient first two seasons. He entered the season shooting 36% and 26.2% from 3 for his career.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons dominated by Cleveland Cavaliers, 112-88
