The Pistons forced Game 7 with a 114–94 win over the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Friday night. Detroit came out strong and never let up, earning the right to play another game with a total team effort in which six different Pistons finishing with 10 or more points. On the other side, James Harden led the Cavs with 23 points but couldn’t keep them in the game—and he effectively killed their last hope for a comeback.
Cleveland trailed by double-digits for most of the evening but pulled within striking distance midway through the fourth quarter, trailing by only 13 with about seven minutes remaining. Momentum seemed to be shifting the Cavaliers’ way; Ausar Thompson had just gotten called for his fifth foul and Cade Cunningham was getting visibly fed up with the officiating at large. Then they got four offensive rebounds on one possession before another foul got called on Cunningham, who looked about ready to explode and so he headed to the bench.
