DETROIT — Cleveland found itself on the other side of a J.B. Bickerstaff meltdown Monday night, as their former head coach barked at officials and paced the sideline while the Cavaliers dismantled his Detroit Pistons with a brand of basketball that looked awfully familiar.
For years under Bickerstaff, the Cavs’ identity was rooted in defense. On this night, they beat him at his own game with a 116-95 victory at Little Caesars Arena.
The game shifted in the second quarter when Cleveland’s defense suffocated Detroit, holding the Pistons without a made field goal for more than nine minutes — from the 4-minute mark of the first quarter until 5:01 in the second.
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While their impact didn’t necessarily translate to points, the Cavs’ second unit dictated the physicality and defensive aggressiveness. Dean Wade finished the first half as a plus-19 on the floor, five points, four rebounds and a steal. Craig Porter Jr. was a plus-15 with six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Jaylon Tyson was a plus-12, and his pesky on-ball defense made life difficult for anyone he switched onto.
The Cavs mixed in aggressive ball pressure with disciplined help principles, cutting off Detroit’s driving lanes while contesting without fouling. They rotated seamlessly on the perimeter, forcing the Pistons to settle for contested jumpers, then sealed possessions with solid rebounding.
By the end of the game, they were rewarded with the opportunity to play free with a 30-point lead throughout the fourth quarter.
And while the role players set the tone with their energy, hustle and intensity on the defensive end, the starters reciprocated with an offensive demolition.
De’Andre Hunter’s presence was felt everywhere. Offensively, he set a career-high in assists (six) for a full game by halftime and added 13 points when it was all said and done. He was initiating sets, manipulating defensive shifts and finding shooters in rhythm. Defensively, he was the answer to Cade Cunningham, helping hold Detroit’s lead guard to 12 points on 3-of-14 shooting from the field. Cunningham struggled to even reach his spots against Hunter’s length and balance.
Donovan Mitchell went for his third 30-point game in the first four contests of the season, finishing with 35. Jarrett Allen added 20 points and seven rebounds. Evan Mobley notched his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds, along with five assists while swatting three shots.
Cleveland’s discipline made Detroit’s aggression look reckless. The Pistons, trying to impose their trademark physicality, instead sent the Cavs to the line repeatedly. Due to the extra free opportunities, and winning the points in the paint battle (50-30) it didn’t matter that the Cavs shot only 35.7% from beyond the arc.
For a team missing three key perimeter players in Darius Garland (toe), Max Strus (foot) and Lonzo Ball (injury management) that interior dominance was the difference. Rather than forcing jumpers or rushing sets, the Cavs attacked the weak points of Detroit’s coverage, adjusting on the fly — an area that had often plagued them in the past.
Every live-ball turnover became an opportunity to run, and even when the Cavs didn’t convert in transition, they controlled the pace, dictating where and how the game was played.
And even when the Cavs’ lead ballooned to 35 points, they made a concerted effort to continue playing with the same vigor.
But wins against physical teams on back-to-back nights is a small step in the right direction for a Cavs team trying to dispose of the “soft” label this season.
The style Bickerstaff once instilled in Cleveland — toughness, defense, effort — is beginning to look more refined under Kenny Atkinson’s leadership. The Cavs still play hard, but they play smart. Their rotations are tighter, their spacing cleaner, their responses calmer.
And as Bickerstaff shouted for calls that never came, the Cavs showed what their evolution could look like.
They’ve learned how to win ugly. And on a night without three of their key offensive weapons, they finally learned how to bury an opponent this season.
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