Dean Wade and Donovan Mitchell each scored 19 points, helping the Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the Detroit Pistons 113-101 on Friday night, marking J.B. Bickerstaff’s return to the city.
Jarrett Allen added 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Evan Mobley contributed 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, and four steals for the Cavaliers. Darius Garland and Ty Jerome both chipped in with 13 points.
Bickerstaff, who led Cleveland to the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, was let go after the team lost in the playoffs and took a coaching position with Detroit over the summer.
Cade Cunningham was the top scorer for the Pistons with 33 points and six assists, but he also had nine of the team’s 22 turnovers. Jaden Ivey scored 22 points, and Malik Beasley added 13 points off the bench.
The Cavaliers ended the first half strong with a 13-4 run, leading 65-55 at halftime. Turnovers were crucial, as Detroit had 13 before the break. Allen led Cleveland with 12 points in the first half, while Wade scored 11. Cunningham and Ivey, the Pistons’ starting backcourt, combined for 32 points but also made eight turnovers.
Caris LeVert scored close to the basket with 4:56 left in the third quarter, giving Cleveland an 81-70 advantage. Tobias Harris hit a 3-pointer, and Cunningham scored from nearby to narrow the Cavaliers’ lead to six points. Ronald Holland II’s layup brought Detroit within four points with 2:21 left in the quarter.
The Cavaliers then ended the quarter with an 8-0 run, with Mitchell scoring five of those points. He also made a free throw to start the fourth quarter after Cunningham received a technical foul.
Ivey stopped the Cavaliers’ run with a three-point play early in the fourth quarter. After Detroit got within eight points, Wade made two back-to-back 3-pointers, extending Cleveland’s lead to 105-91 with 6:17 left.
Allen’s layup and a midrange shot by Garland capped a 10-0 run, increasing Cleveland’s lead to 18 points. Ivey managed to score a layup to stop that run, but the damage was already done.
