Cade Cunningham led the way for the top-seeded Pistons, finishing the night with 23 points. He received substantial support from Tobias Harris, who contributed 20 points, and Duncan Robinson, who added 19 points to the team effort. The Pistons displayed a strong defensive presence throughout the night, forcing 20 turnovers from the Cavaliers that resulted in 31 points for Detroit.
The Cavaliers, entering the series as the No. 4 seed, managed to pull even with the Pistons midway through the fourth quarter after trailing by as much as 18 points earlier in the game. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 23 points, snapping his NBA-record streak of scoring at least 30 points in nine consecutive series openers. James Harden followed with 22 points, and Max Strus added 19 points in the effort.
Despite the comeback attempt by the Cavaliers, the Pistons responded with an 8-0 run late in the game to pull away and seal the victory. Jarrett Allen was limited to two points and three rebounds for Cleveland, which struggled to overcome the early deficit created by the Pistons.
With this win, the Pistons have taken a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The teams are scheduled to return to the court at Little Caesars Arena for Game 2 on Thursday night.