The Cleveland Cavaliers are 6-0 at home in the ongoing NBA playoffs, a stat that spells bad news for the Detroit Pistons as they try to stave off elimination at the Rocket Arena in Friday’s Game 6.
The Cavs won all four home games against the Toronto Raptors in the first round, including the series-clinching Game 7. Donovan Mitchell and Co. then won Games 3 and 4 against the Pistons in the East semifinals to stay undefeated at home.
Unless the Pistons can snap the trend, the Cavaliers will advance on Friday and set up an Eastern Conference Finals clash against the New York Knicks.
Cavaliers Dominant at Home
In their six home wins, the Cavs have beaten their opponents by an average margin of 9.3 points, while shooting 51% from the field and 38% from three. Only one of those six games came down to the wire — Game 5 against the Raptors — when the Cavs needed to go on a 25-17 run in the fourth quarter to pull off a five-point win.
Conversely, Detroit is 1-4 on the road in the playoffs. As such, history suggests the Pistons have their work cut out to keep their season alive. They are not lacking in confidence, though. J.B. Bickerstaff’s team overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Orlando Magic in the first round, including trailing by as many as 24 points in Game 6 before pulling off a stunning comeback victory.
After the Game 5 loss, Cade Cunningham said his team’s experience of surviving three elimination games in the first round will come in handy on Friday.
Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6
“Being up 3-2 is an advantage for them. It’s first to four wins, though. We know that,” Cunningham said, via Detroit Free Press.
“We’ve had our back against the wall before. At the end of the day if we can win a game on the road, how far are we really going to get in the playoffs, how far are we going to get in this league? So we’ve gotta go win a game on the road and that’s what we’re going to do.”
NBA.com’s Shaun Powell believes Game 6 may come down to clutch heroics, while citing that the Cavs overcame a nine-point deficit in the last three minutes of Game 5.
“There’s no reason to suspect the fourth quarter won’t be a factor Friday, either,” he wrote. “In this situation, the Pistons and Cavs need a lead singer, at least one player who can command the dribble in case the lead gets doubled, at least one player who can sink a 3-pointer if left unattended or with the shot-clock about to expire, and a defensive stopper. Which players are the best qualified to do so?
“The lead singer? That’s a jump ball between Mitchell and Cunningham. The backup? Harden over Harris. The deep shooter? Max Strus is on a roll in that role; the Pistons need Robinson and pronto. The defensive stopper? Well, it’s Evan Mobley, but only by a whisker over Thompson, who is this series’ finest on-ball defender.”
Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6 tips off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday.
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