CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kenny Atkinson can rest easy.
The Cavs won their first preseason game, beating the undermanned Detroit Pistons, 118-100, in the finale on Tuesday night. Cleveland went 1-3 during exhibition season.
Prior to tipoff, Atkinson was jokingly asked whether he was losing sleep over the team’s preseason losing skid. Even though this isn’t the month when results matter, Atkinson is ultra-competitive and desperately wanted to avoid a second straight winless preseason.
No déjà vu.
With the opener about a week away, Atkinson intentionally treated Tuesday like a dress rehearsal, trying to simulate a regular season game as much as possible.
He only used 11 guys — the 10 expected to be in the every-night rotation, plus rookie Tyrese Proctor — and played nearly every starter deep into the fourth quarter.
Cleveland planned to close the competitive portion of the game with Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and De’Andre Hunter — the Opening Night starting lineup. But Hunter suffered a minor first-half knee injury that limited him to 14 minutes and Mitchell fouled out late in the fourth.
Once the Cavs extended the lead to a game-high 19 at the 3:40 mark of the fourth quarter, Atkinson emptied the bench.
Bring on New York.
The high-powered Cavs erupted for 42 first-quarter points, going 13 of 22 from the field, including 7 of 10 from 3-point range while building a 16-point advantage.
But feisty Detroit — playing without Cade Cunningham, Caris LeVert and Jaden Ivey — opened the second quarter on a 15-3 surge, capitalizing on Cleveland’s sloppiness. That run allowed the Pistons to briefly reclaim the lead, just their second of the night to that point.
It was a five-point Cavs advantage at the halftime break. They were up by nine going into the fourth quarter. They outscored Detroit 32-23 in the final 12 minutes.
Mitchell led the way with 17 points in 29 minutes. He was one of six Cavaliers in double figures.
Dean Wade and Allen had 15 points apiece. Hunter added 14. Merrill, making his first preseason appearance after dealing with a minor adductor injury, finished with 10. Jaylon Tyson matched that point total, going 4 of 7 from the floor. Newbie Lonzo Ball stuffed the stat sheet, tallying nine points, nine assists and four rebounds off the bench.
The preseason is in the rear view. As Ball said, the Cavs finally got Atkinson what he wanted — his long-awaited first (exhibition) victory.
For Cleveland, which enters 2025-26 as an Eastern Conference co-favorite, there are plenty more of those ahead.
**Up next**
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The Cavs will have a week to get ready for their regular season opener — Wednesday, Oct. 22, in New York against the Knicks. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
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