Darius Garland had a season-high 28 points and Evan Mobley and Max Strus scored 18 apiece as the host Cavaliers beat Detroit, 108-100, in an NBA In-Season Tournament game on Nov. 17, handing the Pistons their 10th consecutive loss.
Mobley also had 10 rebounds and five assists, and rookie Craig Porter scored a career-best 12 points in 16 minutes for Cleveland, which returned home after a 2-2 West Coast trip. Jarrett Allen had 10 points and five blocked shots.
Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging 29.2 points, did not play because of a right hamstring strain.
Cade Cunningham had 20 points and eight assists, and Kevin Knox II had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit. The Pistons have the worst record in the league at 2-11, last winning on Oct. 28 against Chicago.
The Cavaliers improved to 1-1 in East Group A, while Detroit is 0-3. The Pistons have lost six in a row to Cleveland at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and six straight overall in the series.
Detroit rookie Ausar Thompson had nine points and 10 rebounds, and Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart each scored 11 points. Stewart grabbed 10 boards as the Pistons’ starting frontcourt combined for 31 rebounds.
Strus scored 13 in the first quarter and ignited the sellout crowd in the second with a thunderous slam over Thompson. Cleveland made 17 of its first 23 shots and built a 16-point lead before carrying a 59-45 advantage into the half.
Detroit pulled to 75-71 late in the third, but Garland buried a 3-pointer to quell the threat. Garland had 10 points in the quarter and Cunningham had five points and three assists.
The Pistons were without starting center Jalen Duren, who missed his third straight game with a sore right ankle. Swingman Joe Harris sat out his sixth in a row with a right shoulder sprain.
Up next
Pistons: Visit Toronto on Sunday afternoon.
Cavaliers: Host NBA champion Denver on Sunday night.
