The Detroit Pistons defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 in Game 6 on Friday night to force a decisive Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. With the win, the Pistons have now won four straight elimination games in the playoffs, showcasing resilience and grit in high-stakes moments.
Cade Cunningham led the way with 21 points, while Jalen Duren added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Daniss Jenkins chipped in with 15 points off the bench, continuing his strong playoff performance. The trio helped Detroit control the pace of the game, outscoring the Cavaliers by double digits in three quarters.
Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff praised his team's mental toughness after the win. "They just don't quit," Bickerstaff said. "The resolve that they have. The belief that they have in one another. They just have the ability to bounce back mentally where they don't hang on to things."
Jenkins echoed his coach’s sentiment, highlighting the underdog mentality that fuels the Pistons. "I'm not supposed to be in this position according to everybody in the league," Jenkins said. "I just think we're special. We just want to defy all the odds. We not taking [anything] from [anybody]. We know it's us against the world."
On the Cavaliers’ side, James Harden finished with 23 points and Donovan Mitchell added 18. Cleveland struggled to maintain consistency on both ends of the floor. "We never really kicked it to that second level," Harden said. "And we needed to get to that third and fourth level. It was never just a consistent flow at either end of the ball, which is frustrating, but can't do nothing about it. We got to start focusing our mind for one game on the road."
The Pistons have now won seven of their last eight playoff games. They are 5-2 in the 2024 playoffs and have a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2017.
Game 7 of the series will take place on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The winner will face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
Former three-time NBA champion Stacey King has passed away at the age of 59. The Chicago Bulls announced the news on Sunday, marking the end of a career that spanned both court and broadcast booth. King was a familiar face and voice to Bulls fans for decades.
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