Looking for Detroit Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats? This guide covers the latest meetings between the two teams. That includes the seven-game 2026 playoff series and a regular season game from March.
The Cavaliers won the series 4-3 after a 125-94 Game 7 win in Detroit. Below you will find scores, box score numbers, top scorers, and plain notes on what the stats mean. The new season has not started yet, so these are the most recent head-to-head numbers available.
Quick Answer: Pistons vs Cavaliers Series Result
The Cavaliers beat the Pistons 4-3 in the 2026 Eastern Conference semifinals. Detroit entered as the top seed with a 60-22 record. Cleveland came in as the fourth seed at 52-30.
The home team won the first four games. Then Cleveland stole Game 5 in Detroit in overtime. The Pistons answered with a big win in Game 6. The Cavaliers closed the series with a blowout in Game 7.
Over seven games, Cleveland scored 762 points. Detroit scored 752. That is a gap of only 10 points across the whole series, which shows how tight it really was.
| Quick Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Series winner | Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-3 |
| Top seed | Detroit Pistons (60-22) |
| Lower seed | Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30) |
| Total points, Cavaliers | 762 (108.9 per game) |
| Total points, Pistons | 752 (107.4 per game) |
| Game 7 score | Cavaliers 125, Pistons 94 |
| What came next | Cleveland faced the Knicks in the East finals |
How the Teams Reached This Series
Both teams had a long road to this matchup. Each one needed seven games to win the first round. That left little rest and a lot of tired legs.
Detroit beat Orlando 4-3 in round one. Cleveland beat Toronto 4-3. Game 7 of this series was rare for that reason. It was only the fourth time in NBA history that both teams in a Game 7 had played a full seven-game series in the round before. It was also the first time in ten years.
| Team | Seed | Regular Season | Round One | Round Two |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Pistons | 1st in the East | 60-22 | Beat Orlando 4-3 | Lost to Cleveland 3-4 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 4th in the East | 52-30 | Beat Toronto 4-3 | Beat Detroit 4-3 |
Game by Game Scores
Every game in this series had its own story. Detroit led early. Cleveland fought back in the middle. Game 7 then turned into a one-sided night.
| Game | Date | Venue | Final Score | Series Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | May 5 | Detroit | Pistons 111, Cavaliers 101 | DET leads 1-0 |
| Game 2 | May 7 | Detroit | Pistons 107, Cavaliers 97 | DET leads 2-0 |
| Game 3 | May 9 | Cleveland | Cavaliers 116, Pistons 109 | DET leads 2-1 |
| Game 4 | May 11 | Cleveland | Cavaliers 112, Pistons 103 | Tied 2-2 |
| Game 5 | May 13 | Detroit | Cavaliers 117, Pistons 113 (OT) | CLE leads 3-2 |
| Game 6 | May 15 | Cleveland | Pistons 115, Cavaliers 94 | Tied 3-3 |
| Game 7 | May 17 | Detroit | Cavaliers 125, Pistons 94 | CLE wins 4-3 |
A few details stand out from the scores:
- Game 3 saw Detroit trail 64-48 at halftime. The Pistons cut it to 83-81 after three quarters but could not finish.
- Game 5 went to overtime. Cleveland won the extra period 14-10.
- Game 6 was Detroit’s biggest win, by 21 points.
- Game 7 was the biggest margin of the series, a 31-point Cleveland win.
Detroit Pistons Player Stats
Cade Cunningham carried the Pistons on offense. He handled the ball, set up teammates, and took a heavy shot load. His shooting dipped in this series, though. In the three games listed below, he made 24 of 62 shots, about 39 percent.
Tobias Harris gave Detroit steady scoring early in the series. Jalen Duren did his best work on the glass in Game 6. Ausar Thompson added energy on defense, with four steals in that same game.
The bench also made noise. Paul Reed shot a perfect 4-for-4 in Game 3 and scored 15 and 17 in the next two games listed. Caris LeVert scored 24 in Game 4.
| Player | Game | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cade Cunningham | Game 3 | 38:38 | 27 | 10 | 10 | 10-27 |
| Cade Cunningham | Game 4 | 39:28 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 7-16 |
| Cade Cunningham | Game 6 | 42:01 | 21 | 2 | 8 | 7-19 |
| Tobias Harris | Game 3 | 37:51 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 7-14 |
| Tobias Harris | Game 4 | 36:29 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 6-17 |
| Jalen Duren | Game 6 | 27:27 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 7-10 |
| Ausar Thompson | Game 6 | 24:21 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 4-6 |
| Caris LeVert | Game 4 | 31:25 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 10-16 |
| Paul Reed | Game 6 | 16:12 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 7-9 |
| Duncan Robinson | Game 6 | 20:13 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4-7 |
Two notes help explain the numbers. Cunningham had eight turnovers in Game 3, even with a triple-double of 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Duncan Robinson also missed Game 5 with lower back soreness, which hurt Detroit’s spacing.\
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Cleveland Cavaliers Player Stats
Donovan Mitchell was the steady scorer for Cleveland. He had 31 points in Game 2 and 26 in Game 7. James Harden had a rough Game 7 but was huge in Game 5 with 30 points.
Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen gave the Cavaliers a strong inside game. Mobley filled the box score with points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Allen scored 22 in Game 2 and 23 in Game 7.
The role players mattered too. Max Strus hit six threes on eight tries in Game 5. Sam Merrill then lit up Game 7 off the bench.
| Player | Game | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan Mitchell | Game 1 | 35:18 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 9-19 |
| Donovan Mitchell | Game 2 | 37:14 | 31 | 6 | 3 | 11-24 |
| Donovan Mitchell | Game 5 | 42:02 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 7-18 |
| Donovan Mitchell | Game 7 | 31:08 | 26 | 6 | 8 | 10-22 |
| James Harden | Game 1 | 35:00 | 22 | 8 | 7 | 6-15 |
| James Harden | Game 5 | 43:05 | 30 | 8 | 6 | 8-21 |
| Evan Mobley | Game 5 | 42:32 | 19 | 8 | 8 | 6-13 |
| Evan Mobley | Game 7 | 35:57 | 21 | 12 | 6 | 7-10 |
| Jarrett Allen | Game 2 | 30:58 | 22 | 7 | 3 | 7-9 |
| Jarrett Allen | Game 7 | 24:49 | 23 | 7 | 1 | 8-14 |
| Max Strus | Game 5 | 36:14 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 6-8 |
| Sam Merrill | Game 7 | 25:17 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 7-10 |
Game 7 Player Stats Breakdown
Game 7 was where the Cavaliers pulled away. They built a nine-point lead after one quarter. They then blew the game open in the second quarter and led by as many as 26 points in the third.
Mitchell led all scorers with 26 points and added a game-high eight assists. Allen had 23 on 8-for-14 shooting. Merrill came off the bench for 23 points and made five of eight threes.
Mobley had his best all-around night of the series. He finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks. Harden scored only nine points on 2-for-10 shooting, yet it did not matter.
This was a rare night for the Pistons. The franchise had been perfect in home Game 7s before this one. A total of 94 points on their own floor shows how complete the Cleveland win was.
| Cavaliers Player | PTS | REB | AST | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan Mitchell | 26 | 6 | 8 | 10-22 FG, game-high assists |
| Jarrett Allen | 23 | 7 | 1 | 8-14 FG |
| Sam Merrill | 23 | 1 | 2 | 5-8 from three |
| Evan Mobley | 21 | 12 | 6 | 2 steals, 2 blocks |
| James Harden | 9 | 5 | 6 | 2-10 FG |
| Max Strus | 9 | 3 | 2 | 3-7 FG |
Game 5 Overtime Stats and Key Moments
Game 5 was the closest game of the series. Cleveland trailed at halftime, 60-52. The Pistons had started fast, with Daniss Jenkins scoring all seven of Detroit’s early points.
Then the third quarter changed everything. Detroit missed eight of its first 10 shots. Cleveland outscored the Pistons 32-20 in the period and tied the game at 68 midway through.
Harden scored 30 points and Mitchell added 21, including seven in overtime. Strus hit six threes. Mobley nearly had a triple-double with 19 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavaliers | 27 | 25 | 32 | 19 | 14 | 117 |
| Pistons | 29 | 31 | 20 | 23 | 10 | 113 |
The win also snapped a five-game road losing streak for Cleveland in the playoffs. It shifted the whole series.
Top Performers of the Series
Not every box score was available for this guide, so the list below covers the games shown in the tables above. Even so, a few names rise to the top in each category.
- Top scorer, Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell, 31 points in Game 2.
- Top scorer, Pistons: Cade Cunningham, 27 points in Game 3.
- Top rebounder: Evan Mobley had 12 in Game 7. Jalen Duren had 11 in Game 6.
- Top playmakers: Cunningham had 10 assists in Game 3. Mitchell and Mobley each had eight in a game.
- Best three-point night: Max Strus, six of eight in Game 5.
- Best defensive night: Duncan Robinson had five steals in Game 3. Ausar Thompson had four in Game 6.
Cleveland’s best games came from many different players. Detroit’s best games leaned more on Cunningham. That gap explains a lot about the final result.
Team Stats Comparison
The team numbers show a balanced series. Neither side ran away until the final two games. Home court mattered early but faded late.
Cleveland won more games away from home than most would expect. They went 2-2 on the road, with wins in Game 5 and Game 7. Detroit went 2-2 at home and 1-2 in Cleveland.
| Category | Cavaliers | Pistons |
|---|---|---|
| Series record | 4-3 | 3-4 |
| Total points | 762 | 752 |
| Points per game | 108.9 | 107.4 |
| Home record in series | 2-1 | 2-2 |
| Road record in series | 2-2 | 1-2 |
| Biggest win | 31 points (Game 7) | 21 points (Game 6) |
| Overtime games | 1 win | 1 loss |
Regular Season Meeting on March 3, 2026
The two teams also met in the regular season on March 3. The Pistons scored 109 points in that game. Their box score shows how deep the roster is.
Jalen Duren led the way with 24 points and 14 rebounds. He made 10 of 14 free throws. Tobias Harris added 19, and Ausar Thompson had 16 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals.
Cade Cunningham had a quiet night as a scorer. He made only four of 16 shots and finished with 10 points. Still, he gave out 14 assists, which shows how he affects a game without scoring.
- Jalen Duren: 24 points, 14 rebounds
- Tobias Harris: 19 points, 5 rebounds
- Ausar Thompson: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals
- Javonte Green: 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting
- Cade Cunningham: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 14 assists
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What the Player Stats Tell Us
Numbers only matter when they explain something. Here are the main lessons from the box scores.
- Cunningham’s shooting was the swing factor. When his shot did not fall, Detroit’s offense stalled.
- Cleveland had more ways to score. Mitchell, Harden, Allen, Mobley, Strus, and Merrill all had big nights at different times.
- Detroit’s bench helped in spurts. Reed, LeVert, and Jenkins gave useful minutes, but not every night.
- Three-point shooting changed games. Strus in Game 5 and Merrill in Game 7 hit timely shots.
- Free throws mattered. Harden went 11-for-14 at the line in Game 5, and the Cavaliers made 31 free throws that night.
How to Read an NBA Box Score
A box score can look like a wall of letters. It is simple once you know the short forms. Use the table below as a quick guide.
Start with minutes and points. Then check shooting splits, because they tell you how efficient a player was. After that, look at rebounds, assists, and turnovers.
| Stat | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MIN | Minutes played |
| FG | Field goals made and attempted |
| 3P | Three-pointers made and attempted |
| FT | Free throws made and attempted |
| REB | Total rebounds |
| AST | Assists |
| STL | Steals |
| BLK | Blocks |
| TOV | Turnovers |
| +/- | Team point margin while the player was on the court |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Pistons vs Cavaliers series in 2026?
The Cleveland Cavaliers won the series 4-3. They clinched it with a 125-94 win in Game 7 in Detroit.
What was the score of Game 7 between the Pistons and Cavaliers?
The Cavaliers beat the Pistons 125-94 on May 17, 2026. Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 26 points.
Who scored the most points in the Pistons vs Cavaliers series?
In the box scores covered here, Donovan Mitchell had the highest single game with 31 points in Game 2. James Harden followed with 30 in Game 5.
How did Cade Cunningham play against the Cavaliers?
Cunningham put up 27, 19, and 21 points in Games 3, 4, and 6. He shot about 39 percent in those three games.
Who made the most threes in a Pistons vs Cavaliers game?
Max Strus made six threes on eight tries in Game 5. Duncan Robinson made four of seven in Game 3 and four of seven in Game 6.
Did the Pistons and Cavaliers go to overtime in the 2026 series?
Yes, Game 5 went to overtime. The Cavaliers won 117-113 in Detroit.
When do the Pistons and Cavaliers play next?
The new NBA season is about to begin. Check the official NBA schedule for the next Pistons vs Cavaliers date.
Final Thoughts
The Pistons vs Cavaliers player stats from 2026 tell a clear story. Detroit had the better record and won the first two games. Cleveland had more balance, more shooters, and the better finish when it mattered most.
If you follow this rivalry, keep an eye on Cade Cunningham’s shot and Donovan Mitchell’s scoring. Watch the bench players too, since they often decide close games. Bookmark this page and check back when the next matchup is on the schedule.
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