Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons Match Player Stats and Key Takeaways

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons match player stats from their latest meeting show a dominant team performance: Cleveland beat Detroit 125-94 in Game 7 of the 2026 Eastern Conference semifinals on May 17, 2026, at Little Caesars Arena. Four Cavaliers scored at least 20 points, led by Donovan Mitchell with 26, while the top-seeded Pistons shot just 35.3% from the field and watched Cade Cunningham finish with 13 points. This guide breaks down every key number, from individual box score lines to team shooting splits, then places that finale inside the full seven-game series and the history between the two teams this season. Whether you want the top scorers, the rebounding leaders, or the reasons the game turned into a rout, the verified numbers below answer it in plain terms.

Quick Answer: Final Score and Top Performers

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons 125-94 in their most recent meeting, Game 7 on May 17, 2026, and won the series 4-3. Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 26 points and eight assists, Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each scored 23, and Evan Mobley added 21 points and 12 rebounds. For Detroit, Daniss Jenkins scored 17 points, while Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson each finished with 13.

The two teams have not played each other yet in the 2026-27 regular season. The Cavaliers’ schedule through November 29 does not list a game against Detroit, so this Game 7 remains the newest full box score between them. Once the teams meet again, the same stat categories in this article will apply.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons Match Player Stats From Game 7

The Cavaliers won Game 7 because their four best offensive players all played well at once, and the Pistons had no answer on the other end. Cleveland’s starters and one key reserve produced almost everything that mattered, and Detroit’s stars shot poorly in front of their home crowd.

The table below lists the top individual lines from the game, using box score data from CBS Sports and AP game coverage.

Player	Team	Points	Other key numbers
Donovan Mitchell	Cavaliers	26	8 assists, 6 rebounds, 10-of-22 shooting
Jarrett Allen	Cavaliers	23	7 rebounds, 8-of-14 shooting
Sam Merrill	Cavaliers	23	7-of-10 shooting, 5-of-8 from three
Evan Mobley	Cavaliers	21	12 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
James Harden	Cavaliers	9	6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2-of-10 shooting
Daniss Jenkins	Pistons	17	5 assists, 3 rebounds, 4-of-12 shooting
Cade Cunningham	Pistons	13	Minus-31 plus/minus in the game
Duncan Robinson	Pistons	13	Made all 3 free throws in a first-quarter trip to the line
Jalen Duren	Pistons	7	9 rebounds

Cavaliers player stats

Donovan Mitchell set the tone with 26 points, a game-high eight assists, and six rebounds in 31 minutes without a turnover. He scored 15 of those points in the third quarter, when Cleveland stretched a comfortable halftime lead into a 99-73 advantage heading into the fourth.

Jarrett Allen played one of his best games of the series. He scored 23 points, including 15 in the first half, and he outscored Detroit center Jalen Duren 23-7. Allen had also dominated the Cavaliers’ first-round Game 7 against Toronto, where he finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds.

Sam Merrill gave Cleveland the bench spark that Detroit lacked. He scored a playoff career-high 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range and a perfect 4-of-4 at the free throw line. Nine of his points came in the second quarter, when Cleveland built a 64-47 halftime lead.

Evan Mobley recorded his first double-double of the series with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. He shot 7-of-10 from the field, added six assists, and finished with two steals and two blocks. James Harden struggled to score, going 2-of-10 from the field, but he still passed for six assists and grabbed five rebounds.

Pistons player stats

Detroit’s offense never found a rhythm. Daniss Jenkins led the Pistons with 17 points on 4-of-12 shooting, adding five assists and three rebounds. Cade Cunningham, who finished fifth in the league’s MVP voting, scored only 13 points and posted a minus-31 rating. He finished 16 points below his playoff scoring average.

Cunningham and Duren combined for just 20 points on 8-of-23 shooting, which explains much of Detroit’s struggle. Duren grabbed nine rebounds but managed only seven points against Allen. As a team, the Pistons never scored more than 26 points in any single quarter.

Team Stats and Shooting Numbers That Decided the Game

The Cavaliers shot 50.6% from the field in Game 7, while the Pistons shot 35.3%, and that gap of more than 15 percentage points shaped the entire night. Cleveland also outscored Detroit 58-34 in the paint and built a lead as large as 35 points.

Here is how the scoring broke down by quarter:

• First quarter: Cavaliers 31, Pistons 22. Cleveland made six three-pointers in the opening period.
• Second quarter: Cavaliers 33, Pistons 25. Halftime score: 64-47.
• Third quarter: Cavaliers 35, Pistons 26. Mitchell scored 15 in the period.
• Fourth quarter: Cavaliers 26, Pistons 21. Final score: 125-94.

Detroit tied the game at 13 early in the first quarter, and that was the closest it got once play was underway in earnest. Cleveland scored nine points in the final 94 seconds of the first quarter to open a nine-point cushion, then pushed the lead past 20 before halftime. Detroit trimmed the deficit to 17 at one point in the third quarter, and a scoring run from Mitchell ended the threat.

Those numbers show why this game was not a close call. Cleveland controlled the interior, hit its open shots, and held Detroit’s two All-Stars to a poor shooting night.

How the Second-Round Series Played Out

The seven-game series featured two very different halves, with Detroit winning twice at home early and Cleveland winning four of the final five games. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers overcame a 2-0 series deficit against the top-seeded Pistons, each team having already survived a seven-game first-round series.

Detroit opened with two home wins, and Game 1 ended a record-tying 12-game postseason losing streak against Cleveland that dated back to the 2007 Eastern Conference finals. The home team then won each of the first four games before the road team broke the pattern.

Game	Result	Standout player stats
Game 1	Pistons 111, Cavaliers 101	Cunningham 23 points, Tobias Harris 20, Robinson 19
Game 2	Pistons 107, Cavaliers 97	Cunningham 25 points and 10 assists, Mitchell 31 for Cleveland
Game 3	Cavaliers 116, Pistons 109	Cleveland’s first win, series 2-1
Game 4	Cavaliers 112, Pistons 103	Mitchell 43 points, Caris LeVert 24 for Detroit
Game 5	Cavaliers 117, Pistons 113 (OT)	Cleveland took a 3-2 lead
Game 6	Pistons 115, Cavaliers 94	Cunningham 21 points, 8 assists, Harden 23 for Cleveland
Game 7	Cavaliers 125, Pistons 94	Mitchell 26, Allen 23, Merrill 23, Mobley 21

The result sent Cleveland to its first Eastern Conference finals since 2018, where it faced the New York Knicks. It was the ninth conference finals appearance in team history and the deepest Cavaliers run since LeBron James’ final season with the franchise. Detroit, meanwhile, fell one win short of its first conference finals appearance since 2008.

Game 6 Player Stats That Forced the Decider

Detroit earned its Game 7 with a 115-94 win in Cleveland on May 15, 2026, a game in which the Pistons dominated the second half. Cunningham scored 21 points with eight assists, Duren posted 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Jenkins added 15 points.

Ausar Thompson had a strong all-around game with 10 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Harden led Cleveland with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, but the Cavaliers shot only 39.0% as a team.

Detroit shot 52.4% from the field and made 16 of 36 three-pointers, and it handed out 25 assists to Cleveland’s 15. The 21-point win tied a 66-year-old NBA playoff record for the largest Game 6 road win by a team trailing 3-2 in a series.

That contrast makes the Game 7 swing even sharper. The same Pistons team that shot 52.4% two days earlier could not crack 36% on its home floor.

Regular-Season History Between the Two Teams

The Pistons and Cavaliers split their four regular-season games in 2025-26, even though Detroit finished with the better record. According to the Pistons’ season record, Detroit won the top seed in the East at 60-22, while Cleveland finished fourth at 52-30.

One of those meetings came on October 27, 2025, when Cleveland won 116-95. Mitchell scored 35 points on 13-of-18 shooting in just over 29 minutes, Allen added 20, and Mobley recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Cunningham managed only 12 points on 3-of-14 shooting in that game.

The pattern across the season is clear for fans and fantasy players alike. Cleveland’s most lopsided wins, on October 27 and in Game 7, came when Mitchell set the pace and Detroit’s guards shot poorly. Detroit’s best performance, in Game 6, came from 52.4% shooting and 25 assists.

Key Takeaways From the Matchup

The numbers from this rivalry point to several clear conclusions about both rosters:

• Mitchell is the engine. He scored 43 in Game 4, 31 in Game 2, and 26 in Game 7, and he rarely turned the ball over in the finale.
• Allen and Mobley control the paint. Cleveland outscored Detroit 58-34 inside in Game 7, and Allen held a 23-7 scoring edge over Duren.
• Merrill changes the math. His 23-point night showed how much a hot shooter off the bench can swing a playoff game.
• Detroit needs a second scorer. ESPN’s series review noted that the Pistons’ offseason challenge is finding a true second scoring option for Cunningham.
• Home court faded as the series went on. The home team won the first four games, then the road team won the final three, including Game 7.
• Cleveland handles pressure well. The Cavaliers have now won six straight Game 7s.

How to Read a Box Score for This Rivalry

A good box score read starts with efficiency, not raw points. Field goal percentage, three-point makes, and free throw attempts tell you more about a player’s night than the scoring total alone, and they explain why Merrill’s 23 points mattered more than Harden’s nine.

You can calculate true shooting percentage yourself with a simple formula: divide points by two times the sum of field goal attempts and 0.44 times free throw attempts. Merrill’s 7-of-10 shooting with four free throw attempts works out to about 97.8%, an extraordinary mark for a Game 7. Mitchell’s 26 points on 22 shots was solid but far less efficient.

Next, look at plus-minus and rebounds. Cunningham’s minus-31 rating shows how badly Detroit lost his minutes, and Mobley’s 12 rebounds show how Cleveland won the possession battle. If you want to see how the same method applies to another matchup, our breakdown of Lakers vs Milwaukee Bucks match player stats walks through points, rebounds, and assists leaders the same way.

Finally, check the supporting columns. Steals, blocks, and turnovers often explain swings that the scoring column hides. In Game 7, Cleveland’s defense forced Detroit into 35.3% shooting, which meant fewer fast breaks for the Pistons and more transition chances for the Cavaliers.

What to Watch in the Next Cavaliers vs Pistons Game

The next time these teams meet, three player matchups will drive the cleveland cavaliers vs detroit pistons match player stats that fans search for first. The first is Mitchell against Detroit’s perimeter defenders, because his scoring volume has decided most Cleveland wins. The second is Cunningham against Cleveland’s defense, since he went from 21 points in Game 6 to 13 in Game 7. The third is the center battle between Allen and Duren, where Cleveland has held the recent edge.

Both rosters also bring new questions into 2026-27. Detroit still needs to answer whether Cunningham gets a reliable second option, while Cleveland has to show that its Game 7 balance carries over to the regular season. Watch Merrill’s minutes, Harden’s shooting, and Jenkins’ role for early signs.

Fans following other sports can compare how a single standout performance shapes a result in our Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants match player stats breakdown, which covers box score lines for hitters and pitchers.

Conclusion

The most recent Cavaliers and Pistons meeting ended with a lopsided 125-94 Cleveland win in Game 7, and the player stats explain it in a few lines. Mitchell, Allen, Merrill, and Mobley all scored 20 or more, while Detroit’s two All-Stars combined for 20 points on 8-of-23 shooting. Cleveland shot 50.6% and dominated the paint, and Detroit never scored more than 26 points in a quarter. The series itself was tight and full of swings, but the finale showed a team at its best. When the two clubs meet again in 2026-27, watch Mitchell’s scoring, Cunningham’s shot selection, and the Allen and Duren matchup first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the last Cavaliers vs Pistons game?

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the most recent meeting, beating the Detroit Pistons 125-94 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on May 17, 2026. That win clinched the series 4-3 for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers and sent them to the conference finals to face the New York Knicks.

Who scored the most points in the Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7?

Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 26 points for Cleveland, adding eight assists and six rebounds. Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each scored 23, and Evan Mobley had 21. Daniss Jenkins led Detroit with 17 points, while Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson each scored 13.

How did Cade Cunningham perform in Game 7?

Cade Cunningham scored 13 points and finished with a minus-31 plus-minus rating in the Pistons’ 125-94 loss. He scored 16 points below his playoff average. He and Jalen Duren combined for 20 points on 8-of-23 shooting, which hurt Detroit’s offense throughout the night.

What was the series score between the Cavaliers and Pistons in 2026?

Cleveland won the second-round series 4-3. Detroit won Games 1, 2, and 6, while Cleveland won Games 3, 4, 5, and 7. Game 5 went to overtime, and the fourth-seeded Cavaliers recovered from a 2-0 deficit to eliminate the top-seeded Pistons.

When do the Cavaliers play the Pistons next?

The Cavaliers’ schedule through November 29, 2026, does not include a game against the Pistons. The teams have not met yet in the 2026-27 regular season. Check the official NBA schedule for the date, and expect a fresh box score with new player stats once the game is played.