The Cleveland Cavaliers were unable to close out the series on Friday night, dropping Game 6 to the Detroit Pistons 115-94 and missing an opportunity to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018. Cleveland couldn’t get things going on either end of the floor, and with guard Donovan Mitchell unable to get anything going offensively, the team is now headed to a decisive Game 7 in Detroit.
Mitchell finished with 18 points on 6-of-20 shooting and had a game-worst minus-25 rating. The seven-time All-Star never found consistent rhythm against the Pistons defense, particularly around the basket, where he shot just 3-for-12 in the paint and 3-for-9 in the restricted area. He also recorded three assists and three turnovers as the Cavaliers offense stalled repeatedly throughout the night.
Despite the poor outing, Mitchell made it clear afterward that he intends to put Game 6 behind him ahead of Sunday’s elimination game.
“I can’t dwell on it,” he said. “I missed shots tonight, and sure, some of them were probably tougher shots that I could have handled better. But you can say that about every game. I’m not focused on the fact that I missed shots. It’s more about the overall force and impact on the game.
“I’ve been making those shots for most of this series, and tonight I didn’t. I’m not worried about that. It’s more about everything else. We missed an opportunity, but there’s nothing we can do about it now. We just have to go out there and win on the road.”
"I can't dwell on it. I missed shots tonight. … I'm not worried about that, it's more so everything else."
Donovan Mitchell on going 6-of-20 from the field in the Cavs' Game 6 loss to the Pistons.
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/1m48GzQDGA
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 16, 2026
Cleveland struggled collectively in a game that slipped away during the second half. After trimming Detroit’s lead to three at halftime, the Cavaliers opened the third quarter flat while the Pistons responded with a big surge to regain control. Detroit eventually outscored Cleveland after the break and never allowed the deficit to fall below double digits in the fourth quarter.
James Harden led the Cavaliers with 23 points, but his eight turnovers contributed heavily to Cleveland’s 20 total giveaways, which the Pistons converted into 28 points. Evan Mobley also scored 18 points, but the Cavaliers supporting cast offered little help outside of Sam Merrill’s double-digit scoring effort. Max Strus, who had been crucial in Game 5, managed only six points on 2-of-9 shooting.
Detroit received balanced production throughout the lineup. Cade Cunningham scored 21 points with eight assists, while Jalen Duren contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds. Paul Reed scored 17 off the bench, Daniss Jenkins added 15, and Duncan Robinson returned from a back injury to finish with 14 points on four made three-pointers.
The Pistons also owned the possession battle, grabbing 13 offensive rebounds that turned into 20 second-chance points. Detroit’s reserves outscored Cleveland’s bench 48-19 while the team shot 16-for-36 from three-point range.
With the series tied, the action returns to Little Caesars Arena for Game 7, where Mitchell and the Cavaliers will face their biggest test of the season.