What happened
The Detroit Pistons defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-97 on Thursday night to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series. Cade Cunningham finished with 25 points and 10 assists, while Tobias Harris added 21 points. The series now shifts to Cleveland with Detroit two wins away from the Eastern Conference Finals.
Why it matters
Detroit has flipped the script on a Cavaliers team that entered the series as the favorite, and the Pistons have now snapped a long playoff losing streak to Cleveland that stretched back over a decade. Home-court advantage has effectively swung to Detroit, and Cleveland faces the daunting task of winning four of the next five with the series opening on the road for the Pistons. Historically, teams down 0-2 in a best-of-seven win the series only a small fraction of the time.
The data edge
Game 2 final: Pistons 107, Cavaliers 97. Cunningham: 25 pts, 10 ast. Harris: 21 pts. Series: Detroit leads 2-0. No additional structured data (odds, advanced splits) available in this signal pack.
What to watch
Game 3 tips in Cleveland with the Cavaliers needing a response to avoid a near-fatal 3-0 hole. Watch whether Cleveland adjusts its physicality and half-court defense to slow Cunningham's pick-and-roll game.