Cavaliers 122, Pistons 100: Dion Waiters led seven players in double figures with 22 points as host Cleveland blasted Detroit.
Tyler Zeller scored 18 points and Spencer Hawes chipped in 15 for the Cavaliers, who snapped a string of four straight home losses to Detroit. Matthew Dellavedova collected 14 points and a career-best 12 assists off the bench for Cleveland, which was eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoff race when Atlanta defeated Boston.
Andre Drummond notched his 54th double-double of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons, who were without forward Josh Smith (patellar tendinitis) for the second consecutive game. Brandon Jennings and Jonas Jerebko each scored 17 points and Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckey added 15 apiece as Detroit had a modest two-game winning streak halted.
It was close early — Stuckey's three-point play pulled Detroit within 10-9 with 7:31 left in the first quarter — but Hawes scored 11 points during a 17-5 burst and it was never competitive again. The Cavaliers shot 63.8 percent in the first half while holding Detroit to 27.7 percent and took a 69-37 lead into the break.
The Pistons never got closer than 20 in the second half, even as the Cavaliers gave their reserves plenty of playing time. Cleveland finished with 41 assists while Detroit had just 34 made field goals.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cleveland coach Mike Brown (304) tied Bill Fitch for the second-most wins in Cavaliers history behind Lenny Wilkens (316). … Cleveland dished out a franchise-record 26 assists in the first half — the most in a half by any team in the NBA this season. … The Cavaliers held Detroit to 38 points in the paint — 14 below the Pistons' league-leading average — and have allowed fewer than 45 points in the paint in 18 straight games.
Detroit | Cleveland | |
Brandon Jennings 17 | Scoring | Dion Waiters 22 |
Brandon Jennings 7 | Assists | Matthew Dellavedova 12 |
Andre Drummond 14 | Rebounds | Anderson Varejao 12 |
Rodney Stuckey 7 | Free Throws Made | Kyrie Irving 2 |
Greg Monroe 3 | Steals | Kyrie Irving 3 |
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 1 | Blocks | Alonzo Gee 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Detroit | 100 | 35.4 | 9-28 | 23-32 | 19 | 46 | 2 | 10 | 15 |
Cleveland | 122 | 57.0 | 11-26 | 5-9 | 41 | 47 | 6 | 8 | 17 |