DETROIT -- — Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a season-high 32 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers 133-122 on Friday night to guarantee their first winning season since 2016.

Detroit withstood a 38-point performance by Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell, who scored 22 in the fourth quarter.

The Pistons (42-32) played without Cade Cunningham (calf) and were still able to end a 12-game losing streak against Cleveland.

Dennis Schroder started for Cunningham and had 16 points and 10 assists. Jalen Duren added 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Ausur Thompson contributed 18 points and 10 boards for Detroit, which failed to win 25 games in the last five seasons.

The Pistons have eight regular-season games remaining. With three more wins, Detroit could reach 45 victories for the first time since going 59-23 in 2007-08 — also the last season it won a playoff game.

Darius Garland had 21 points for Cleveland, which hadn't lost to the Pistons since Feb. 24, 2022, when current Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was in charge of the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers trailed 108-89 with 8:56 to play and closed within 119-117 on Mitchell's 3-pointer with 3:31 left. Detroit answered with a 12-1 run to close out the win.

Takeaways

Cavaliers: Are a victory away from their first 60-win season since 2009-10.

Pistons: Cunningham missed his third straight game and is listed as day-to-day.

Key moment

Hardaway had 10 points as the Pistons started the second half with a 13-4 run to take a 76-62 lead. The Pistons finished the quarter with a 38-25 advantage for an 18-point lead heading into the fourth.

Key stat

The Pistons had a 25-6 advantage in fast-break points.

Up next

Both teams play Monday. Cleveland hosts the Los Angeles Clippers, and Detroit is at Minnesota in the opener of a three-game trip.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Jarrett Allen vs. Jalen Duren (Evan Mobley gains possession)	0	0
11:44	Donovan Mitchell misses 25-foot three point jumper	0	0
11:41	Jalen Duren defensive rebound	0	0
11:36	Malik Beasley misses running pullup jump shot	0	0
11:34	Malik Beasley offensive rebound	0	0
11:31	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes driving layup (Malik Beasley assists)	2	0
11:11	Dennis Schroder personal foul	2	0
11:01	Donovan Mitchell makes 8-foot two point shot	2	2
10:44	Ausar Thompson misses driving layup	2	2
10:38	Ausar Thompson offensive rebound	2	2
10:38	Ausar Thompson makes tip shot	4	2
10:28	Evan Mobley misses 25-foot three point jumper	4	2
10:25	Jalen Duren defensive rebound	4	2
10:15	Jalen Duren misses driving layup	4	2
10:13	Jalen Duren offensive rebound	4	2
10:13	Jalen Duren makes tip shot	6	2
9:53	Darius Garland misses 23-foot three point jumper	6	2
9:50	Jarrett Allen offensive rebound	6	2
9:48	Jarrett Allen makes two point shot	6	4
9:27	Dennis Schroder misses 24-foot three point jumper	6	4
9:24	Malik Beasley offensive rebound	6	4
9:13	Malik Beasley misses 25-foot three point jumper	6	4
9:10	Isaac Okoro defensive rebound	6	4
8:58	Evan Mobley out of bounds bad pass turnover	6	4
8:48	Dennis Schroder misses 26-foot three point jumper	6	4
8:44	Darius Garland defensive rebound	6	4
8:37	Jalen Duren shooting foul	6	4
8:37	Darius Garland makes free throw 1 of 2	6	5
8:37	Darius Garland makes free throw 2 of 2	6	6
8:22	Ausar Thompson makes 3-foot layup (Dennis Schroder assists)	8	6
8:10	Evan Mobley makes 26-foot three point jumper (Darius Garland assists)	8	9
7:57	Jalen Duren makes dunk (Malik Beasley assists)	10	9
7:52	Tim Hardaway Jr. shooting foul	10	9
7:52	Isaac Okoro makes free throw 1 of 2	10	10
7:52	Isaac Okoro misses free throw 2 of 2	10	10
7:47	Dennis Schroder defensive rebound	10	10
7:39	Ausar Thompson makes 3-foot jump bank shot	12	10
7:30	Donovan Mitchell offensive charge	12	10
7:30	Donovan Mitchell turnover	12	10
7:17	Malik Beasley misses 26-foot three point jumper	12	10
7:14	Darius Garland defensive rebound	12	10
7:12	Malik Beasley personal foul	12	10
7:04	Evan Mobley makes 7-foot two point shot	12	12
6:55	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes 28-foot three pointer	15	12
6:43	Darius Garland makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot (Donovan Mitchell assists)	15	15
6:29	Jarrett Allen blocks Jalen Duren 's 3-foot layup	15	15
6:26	Jalen Duren offensive rebound	15	15
6:26	Jalen Duren makes two point shot	17	15
6:26	Cavaliers Full timeout	17	15
6:26	Sam Merrill enters the game for Evan Mobley	17	15
6:26	De'Andre Hunter enters the game for Donovan Mitchell	17	15
6:10	Darius Garland misses 28-foot three point jumper	17	15
6:07	Jalen Duren defensive rebound	17	15
6:00	Ausar Thompson misses driving layup	17	15
5:57	De'Andre Hunter defensive rebound	17	15
5:54	Darius Garland traveling	17	15
5:42	Jalen Duren misses driving floating jump shot	17	15
5:41	Pistons offensive team rebound	17	15
5:35	Malik Beasley misses 19-foot pullup jump shot	17	15
5:32	Jarrett Allen defensive rebound	17	15
5:20	De'Andre Hunter makes 9-foot pullup jump shot	17	17
5:06	Jarrett Allen kicked ball violation	17	17
5:06	Marcus Sasser enters the game for Malik Beasley	17	17
5:06	Dean Wade enters the game for Jarrett Allen	17	17
4:56	Dennis Schroder makes 7-foot two point shot	19	17
4:56	Sam Merrill shooting foul	19	17
4:56	Simone Fontecchio enters the game for Ausar Thompson	19	17
4:56	Dennis Schroder makes free throw 1 of 1	20	17
4:38	De'Andre Hunter misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	20	17
4:34	Jalen Duren defensive rebound	20	17
4:16	Marcus Sasser misses 17-foot pullup jump shot	20	17
4:13	De'Andre Hunter defensive rebound	20	17
4:06	Pistons Full timeout	20	17
4:06	(04:06) [Pistons] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL OVERTURNED) [Pistons] retain their timeout	20	17
4:06	Isaiah Stewart enters the game for Jalen Duren	20	17
4:06	Donovan Mitchell enters the game for Darius Garland	20	17
4:06	Evan Mobley enters the game for Isaac Okoro	20	17
4:06	De'Andre Hunter out of bounds lost ball turnover	20	17
3:56	Simone Fontecchio misses 23-foot three point pullup jump shot	20	17
3:54	Dennis Schroder offensive rebound	20	17
3:52	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes 25-foot three point jumper (Dennis Schroder assists)	23	17
3:37	Dean Wade makes 25-foot three point jumper (Evan Mobley assists)	23	20
3:25	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes 28-foot three point jumper (Dennis Schroder assists)	26	20
3:13	Evan Mobley misses 26-foot three point jumper	26	20
3:09	Dean Wade offensive rebound	26	20
3:07	Donovan Mitchell misses 26-foot three point jumper	26	20
3:04	Marcus Sasser defensive rebound	26	20
2:59	Marcus Sasser misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	26	20
2:58	Cavaliers defensive team rebound	26	20
2:58	Simone Fontecchio loose ball foul	26	20
2:58	De'Andre Hunter makes free throw 1 of 2	26	21
2:58	Ronald Holland II enters the game for Dennis Schroder	26	21
2:58	De'Andre Hunter makes free throw 2 of 2	26	22
2:43	Donovan Mitchell shooting foul	26	22
2:43	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2	27	22
2:43	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2	28	22
2:24	Evan Mobley misses 7-foot two point shot	28	22
2:18	Ronald Holland II defensive rebound	28	22
2:16	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 26-foot three point shot	28	22
2:16	Sam Merrill defensive rebound	28	22
2:08	De'Andre Hunter misses two point shot	28	22
2:05	Isaiah Stewart defensive rebound	28	22
1:44	Ronald Holland II lost ball turnover (Sam Merrill steals)	28	22
1:38	De'Andre Hunter bad pass (Simone Fontecchio steals)	28	22
1:36	Ronald Holland II double personal foul (Sam Merrill draws the foul)	28	22
1:24	Isaiah Stewart 3 second turnover	28	22
1:24	Malik Beasley enters the game for Tim Hardaway Jr.	28	22
1:10	Donovan Mitchell makes driving layup	28	24
1:00	Marcus Sasser out of bounds lost ball turnover	28	24
49.1	Donovan Mitchell misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	28	24
46.1	Ronald Holland II defensive rebound	28	24
45.1	Ronald Holland II lost ball turnover (De'Andre Hunter steals)	28	24
45.1	De'Andre Hunter misses layup	28	24
42.1	De'Andre Hunter offensive rebound	28	24
42.0	De'Andre Hunter makes tip shot	28	26
31.1	Simone Fontecchio makes 23-foot three point jumper (Isaiah Stewart assists)	31	26
21.1	Dean Wade offensive foul	31	26
21.1	Dean Wade turnover	31	26
5.2	Marcus Sasser bad pass (Sam Merrill steals)	31	26
3.0	Simone Fontecchio kicked ball violation	31	26
3.0	Ausar Thompson enters the game for Malik Beasley	31	26
3.0	Darius Garland enters the game for Dean Wade	31	26
1.0	Sam Merrill misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	31	26
1.0	Cavaliers offensive team rebound	31	26
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	31	26

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Little Caesars Arena

Detroit, MI

Date & Time

11:00 PM, March 28, 2025

Coverage

FanDuel SN DET Ext, FanDuel SN OH, NBA League Pass

Attendance

20,062

Referees

Kevin Scott, Nick Buchert, John Conley

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	44	14	.759	W2
Cleveland	37	24	.607	L2
Milwaukee	26	32	.448	L1
Chicago	24	36	.400	L11
Indiana	15	45	.250	L5

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Pistons beat East-leading Cavaliers 133-122 and lock down 1st winning season since 2016

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