Jaylon Tyson Drops 22 as Cavs Top East-Leading Pistons Without Mitchell
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons 113-109 on March 3, 2026, at Rocket Arena, evening their 2025-26 regular-season series at 2-2. Cleveland was without Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, and Dean Wade. The Pistons, however, were fully healthy, no asterisks and no qualifiers.
Jaylon Tyson Leads the Charge with Evan Mobley’s Steady Support
Jaylon Tyson led the Cavs with a team-high 22 points, along with three rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Evan Mobley added 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while James Harden contributed 18 points, five rebounds, and seven assists despite a rough shooting night (4-for-13). Dennis Schroder scored 15 points off the bench, and Sam Merrill hit a crucial three-pointer late to help secure the win.
Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson bailed Schroder out, as Merrill hit Tyson with a deep pass. Later, Tyson fouled and hit one of the two free throw attempts to finally put the game away. In the second half, Cade Cunningham was held to only two points on 0-for-5 shooting.
Shorthanded but Resilient for the Cleveland Cavaliers
It was not like Cleveland had it all together on Tuesday; they had challenges. Jarrett Allen left the game early with a knee injury, James Harden had an off-night as he went from the field, with 4-16, and the team was also without Donovan Mitchell. The win gained attention because the shorthanded lineup proved strong enough to beat the conference-leading Pistons.
The Cavaliers started strong, building a lead of 10 points midway through the second quarter. The Pistons dominated the third quarter well, with a two-point game midway through the third before Allen left the game with a knee injury.
The Cavs’ bench lineups with Thomas Bryant at center responded well and got their lead back up to double digits, but the starters had a difficult time keeping up the momentum, going without the services of Allen.
Evan Mobley had a strong game against the Pistons. He was the best defensive player on the court and saved the offense on more than a few occasions, finishing the game by 18 points on 5-9 shooting with five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Harden struggled to find his shot, but he did enough to help get the Cavs across the finish line late. He provided 18 points and seven helpers in the win.
Next Up: Boston Celtics
Pistons’ Jalen Duren led all scorers with 24 points and 14 rebounds, and Tobias Harris added 19 points all after halftime. While Cade Cunningham struggled offensively and finished with 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting, he dished out 14 assists. The Pistons’ six-game road winning streak was snapped.
The Cavs’ bench outscored Detroit’s 38-32, and Cleveland limited Cade Cunningham’s impact, a key factor highlighted by head coach Kenny Atkinson. Now, with the win, the Cavs are 8-1 in games Harden plays, including two wins over teams ahead of them in the standings, the New York Knicks and now the Pistons. Cleveland will have four days off before hosting the Boston Celtics for a matinee game on Sunday, which is at 1 PM.
