The Pistons came up clutch on the road to take a 115-94 win over the Cavaliers in Game 6 to force a decisive Game 7 on Sunday.
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It has been a long postseason for the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers as they work to advance from the conference semifinals — and their biggest test still awaits.
That would be another Game 7 for these teams, after each went to the seven-game limit in the first round. It’s only the fourth time in NBA history that both teams are playing consecutive Game 7s.
Furthermore, the Pistons have played four elimination games and they’re unbeaten — three against the Orlando Magic in a stirring comeback, and then Friday in Cleveland.
It’s a long worded way of saying the Cavs and Pistons have been through the fire this spring and then some.
“We understand the moment,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “We’ve been through it before.”
The winner Sunday will have the exhausting chore of playing two nights later against the New York Knicks and then every other night in the Eastern Conference Finals — no rest for the battle-weary. And that’s an inconvenience the winner will gladly accept, because it beats the alternative.
This will be a defining game to a degree for Cade Cunningham, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, each of whom are in different stages of their careers. Cunningham is just getting started as a premier player. Mitchell looks to reach the conference finals for the first time ever. And Harden, a former MVP, can’t give himself a chance to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 without winning this game first.
“Everything you want is on the other side of hard,” said Mitchell. “Nothing good comes easy.”
Here’s what to look for in this winner-take-all matchup (8 ET, Prime Video):
1. What to expect from the stars
It’s always tricky to judge players on past performance in elimination games because context isn’t taken into account. For example, Harden is averaging over 22 points for his career in these situations, but how many of his best outings came during his peak years to inflate those career numbers?
Maybe the proper option is to take what each did a few weeks ago in the first round. That gives a more accurate guess as to what could come Sunday night.
- Cunningham vs. Magic. He was tremendous in three straight elimination games with a 45-pointer followed by a pair of 32-pointers. This stretch was Cunningham’s signature moment as a pro. He shot 11-for-18 on 3-pointers in those games.
- Jalen Duren vs. Magic. His Game 7 was his finest playoff performance until Game 6 vs. Cleveland, with 15 points, 15 rebounds and a steal. In three elimination games in the first round, he shot 13-for-21.
- Mitchell vs. Raptors. He wasn’t next-level in that series and same went for the seventh game. Mitchell’s 22 points were good enough; however that game was played in Cleveland.
- Harden vs. Raptors. Harden managed to get to the free throw line 13 times and limit his turnovers to a pair in that final game. He has since been buried by turnovers, averaging five per game in this semifinal series but has taken 24 free throws in the last two games. “He has an unbelievable ability to manipulate what the rules are,” said Bickerstaff, regarding the frequent whistles.
2. Cade’s gas tanks
Another seven-game series? Remember, this is a player coming off a collapsed lung prior to the playoffs. And now he needs to cope with a 14th game since these playoffs began.
Whether he has enough energy in the fourth quarter, assuming it’s a tight contest, could decide what happens to the Pistons. Cunningham is coming off games of 48 and 42 minutes with just a pair of rest days in between. And he wasn’t at his best in the latter stages of Game 6; the bench bailed him out.
If only he could thrive off emotion and competitive desire, he’d be fine, but it requires more than that. His stamina will be worth watching, and also whether the Cavs wisely change their defensive strategy for the fourth quarter, force him to labor, take the ball from his hands and let someone else try to be the hero.
3. Unsung hero candidates. Here they are:
Jarrett Allen, Cavs. Aside from standing out over a few significant stretches, his play has been muted, partly because he scores mainly off Harden passes and Harden has been mistake prone. Anyway, Allen can be impactful with blocked shots and rebounds. He needs to thwart the potential of another strong Duren response.
Max Strus, Cavs. His series has been hot and cold. The Pistons, namely Cunningham and Tobias Harris, have hunted him defensively on switches. Yet Strus in a few occasions burned Detroit with 3-pointers. His fire has been a welcome and consistent sight for the Cavs.
Duncan Robinson, Pistons. He missed a game due to lower back soreness and didn’t start upon his return in Game 6. But he’s the last player the Cavs can afford to leave open at the 3-point arc. Robinson can trigger scoring runs with timely shots from that distance.
Daniss Jenkins, Pistons. He has been a problem for Cleveland the last two games as a change of pace point guard. He’s not intimidated by the moment, rare for a second-year player who went undrafted, and obviously has the full confidence of Bickerstaff, who elevated him to starter for Game 6 in Cleveland.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at [email protected], find his archive here and follow him on X.
