Tim Hardaway Jr. had a season-high 32 points and the host Detroit Pistons clinched their first winning season in nine years by defeating the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers 133-122 on Friday night.
The last time Detroit posted a winning season was 2015-16 when it finished 44-38. The Pistons (42-32) also snapped a 12-game losing streak against the Cavaliers. Detroit’s had not beaten Cleveland since Feb. 24, 2022.
Malik Beasley supplied 19 points, while Ausar Thompson had 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. Dennis Schroder contributed 17 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Jalen Duren tossed in 16 points with 13 rebounds.
Donovan Mitchell carried the Cavaliers (59-15) with 38 points. Darius Garland had 21.
Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham missed his third straight game due to a left calf contusion.
Hardaway scored 13 points in the first quarter as the Pistons grabbed a 31-26 lead. Detroit was still up by five, 63-58, at halftime. Hardaway was up to 19 points, while frontcourt partner Thompson had 12. Mitchell and Garland combined for 26 points for the Cavaliers.
Hardaway’s 3-pointer two minutes into the second half gave Detroit a double-digit advantage at 71-61. He continued to put the pressure on Cleveland’s defense, knocking down another 3-pointer and converting a layup off a feed from Schroder to make it 76-62.
Garland drained a 3-pointer with 4:35 left in the quarter to cut the Pistons’ lead to 80-71, but Detroit quickly rebuilt the double-digit lead. Beasley hit two 3-pointers within a minute late in the quarter to make it 91-75. An 8-0 Pistons spurt pushed the lead to 101-80.
The Cavaliers chipped away from that point. When Dean Wade converted a three-point play with 6:55 left, the Pistons’ advantage was down to 11. Two free throws by Mitchell trimmed the deficit to 116-106. Mitchell hit two 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to pull Cleveland within seven points.
When he hit another with 3:31 left, Detroit’s lead was down to 119-117. That’s as close as the Cavaliers would come. Thompson completed a 12-1 Pistons run with a steal and dunk.
