The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a wild, unforgettable night of basketball at Little Caesars Arena on February 27, 2026, as the Pistons narrowly escaped with a 122-119 overtime victory. The game, which stretched over three hours due to a bizarre third-quarter delay, was a showcase of resilience, high drama, and standout performances—despite both teams battling adversity in different forms.
For the Pistons, this win was more than just another notch in their already impressive season record. It was a testament to their depth, grit, and ability to adapt under pressure, especially with their star guard Cade Cunningham fouling out in the clutch. Jalen Duren, the Pistons' emerging force in the paint, took center stage with a career-tying 33 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks—his fourth consecutive double-double and a feat not seen in Detroit since Bob McAdoo’s run in the 1980-81 season.
“I’m just grinding; just working on my game, trying to win games and do whatever I can to help my teammates,” Duren said after the game. “If that is what they need me to do, I’m going to keep doing it… This is where we need to be moving forward—playing Pistons Basketball for 48 minutes. I’m glad we got the win, but we cannot wait until the end to get things going. We need to put together a consistent game of playing our type of ball.”
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, entered the contest severely undermanned. Star guards Donovan Mitchell (right groin strain) and James Harden (fractured right thumb) both missed their second straight game, joined by Keon Ellis and Dean Wade on the sidelines. Despite these absences, Cleveland showed remarkable fight, building a game-high 13-point lead in the second quarter and holding a nine-point advantage with under three minutes to play in regulation. Jarrett Allen led the way for Cleveland with 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting and nine rebounds, while Evan Mobley added 23 points, 12 boards, and four blocks in just his fourth game back from a calf injury. Sam Merrill chipped in 20 points, and Jaylon Tyson, Thomas Bryant, and Dennis Schroder all reached double figures. Tyson, who started in place of the injured stars, reflected, “Obviously, we’re down a lot of guys, and went out there, competed our tail off against the number one team in the East. I’m super positive. Obviously, there’s stuff that we can learn, but I love our fight and we didn’t back down from nobody.”
The game itself was interrupted by an 18-minute delay in the third quarter, when a power surge caused the scoreboard horn to blare incessantly. Players and fans alike looked on in confusion as arena staff scrambled to resolve the issue. “It was just loud,” Jarrett Allen said. “Was like wondering when they were going to fix it. At that point, it was just what do you want us to do, leave to go to the locker room? Things like that happen.” Eventually, the scoreboard was shut down and a manual airhorn was used to signal play, but the disruption only added to the night’s chaos.
When play resumed, neither team backed down. Cleveland’s reserves, including rookie Tyrese Proctor and backup center Thomas Bryant, helped the Cavs regain momentum, outscoring Detroit 14-6 to start the fourth quarter. Yet the Pistons refused to fold. With Cunningham fouling out at the 1:56 mark and Detroit trailing 107-103, the Pistons turned to Duren and their bench for answers. Detroit closed regulation on a 9-4 run, capped by a heart-stopping sequence with 4.7 seconds left: Jaylon Tyson fouled Daniss Jenkins as Jenkins attempted a desperation three-pointer near half-court. Jenkins calmly sank all three free throws, tying the game at 114 and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
“He’s (Jenkins) been mature. I hate to say that, but it’s not surprising anymore what he’s done,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “When his number has been called, whatever the moment has been, he’s been productive for us and effective for us.”
Overtime delivered more drama. The Pistons jumped out with a 6-0 run, only for the Cavaliers—now without Allen, who had fouled out late in the fourth—to answer with five straight points. For nearly two minutes, the margin hovered at a single point, until Tobias Harris drilled a baseline fadeaway over Mobley with just 22 seconds remaining. Harris finished with 11 points and five rebounds, but none more critical than his late-game heroics. Cleveland had one last chance, but Mobley’s three-point attempt at the buzzer rattled out, sealing Detroit’s win.
The contest wasn’t just about the stars. Ausar Thompson’s defense and Marcus Sasser’s energy off the bench were pivotal for Detroit, while Cleveland’s Jaylon Tyson notched 15 points with four made threes. Both teams struggled from deep—Detroit shot a frigid 22.2% (6-of-27) from three-point range, while Cleveland’s 38.7% (13-of-33) kept them in the hunt. The Pistons’ struggles from beyond the arc have been a recurring theme, and coach Bickerstaff acknowledged the need for improvement as the playoffs approach.
Injuries loomed large for Cleveland. Coach Kenny Atkinson addressed the absence of his stars before the game, expressing cautious optimism about Mitchell’s recovery. “We don’t love soft tissue injuries, obviously,” Atkinson said. “The feedback I’m getting is that it’s not a long-term thing.” On Harden, he added, “He did say it was improved from since he did it. It wasn’t like, ‘Man, it still feels the same.’ It was like, ‘Man, it’s better than it was two days ago.’” Ellis and Wade’s absences further tested the Cavs’ depth, but Atkinson remained confident: “We got great depth. I don’t think we’re in the position we are in without our depth. Looking at the most injured teams this year, we’re one of the few that’s kind of stayed afloat. That’s a fact.”
For Detroit, the win capped a challenging week with a 2-1 record at home and improved their overall mark to 44-14. Since Duren’s return from suspension, the Pistons have gone 3-1, with Duren averaging 28.2 points and 14.5 rebounds over the last four games. “It’s that moment where you figure it out, and all the things just come together. I think they’re coming together for him. The game has slowed down for him,” Bickerstaff said of Duren.
Next up, both teams hit the road—Cleveland heads to Brooklyn to face the Nets, while Detroit travels to Orlando. As the regular season enters its final stretch, Friday night’s showdown will be remembered for its chaos, its heart, and the statement it made about two Eastern Conference contenders refusing to quit—no matter the odds or the obstacles.