What happened: The Detroit Pistons opened their Eastern Conference semifinal series with a Game 1 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, as flagged by SportsCenter and ESPNNBA. The win marks Detroit's first lead in the second-round matchup. Jalen Duren drew on-air praise for his performance in the opener.

Why it matters: Game 1 wins on the road historically translate to a commanding edge in best-of-seven series, and Detroit just stole home-court advantage from a higher-seeded Cleveland team. The Pistons advanced past Orlando in a Game 7 just days earlier, and carrying that momentum into a deeper round signals this group is built for sustained playoff runs. For Cleveland, dropping the opener at home raises pressure on its stars to respond before the series shifts.

What to watch: Game 2 of the series is the immediate watch — whether Cleveland adjusts defensively and whether Detroit can defend its road steal. Rotation tweaks and any injury updates between games will set the tone for the rest of the series.