Winners and Losers From Cleveland Cavaliers Game 1 Loss Against Detroit Pistons

Here’s who won Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. And who lost.

May 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (2) in the second half during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Eastern Conference semifinals began in Detroit tonight, as Cleveland made the short trip up north to take on the one seed in the East. The Pistons were four-point favorites on their home floor, but had not won a Game 1 in a playoff series since 2008. 

The Cavaliers came out sluggish, turning the ball over six times, leading to 12 points for the Pistons in the first quarter, who jumped out to a 15-point lead. The second quarter was a bit back and forth, but Cleveland was able to push back in the third, outscoring Detroit by six. 

The Cavs tied the game at 93 with just under six minutes to go, but the Pistons outscored them 18-8 to close it, winning 111-101. 

Winner: Max Strus

Strus proved again why he is a big-time performer in the biggest games, as he was very successful in his 28 minutes. Strus shot 50% from three (4-8), 54% from the floor (7-13), along with grabbing five rebounds and a steal. 

Strus’s rugged play on both ends of the court pops off the screen, as sometimes it can back to bite him. But his aggressiveness is unmatched, and other players might need to follow suit.

Loser: Cleveland’s ballhandling

The Cavaliers have been turnover-prone all postseason long, as coming into this game, they averaged the second-most turnovers (16.0) among playoff teams.

Tonight was no different, as the Cavs turned the ball over 20 times, leading to 31 points for the Pistons. Cleveland was also outscored 15-6 on the fast break, another theme that has continued. 

Winner: Cleveland’s Free Throw Shooting

While the Cavs did not get to the line often tonight, just 16 times, they made 15 of those attempts. The Pistons made it to the stripe 19 more times, a pattern that hopefully doesn’t continue into the series. 

Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris shot three more free throws than the entire Cavs team, but Cleveland was able to take advantage of their opportunities. 

Loser: James Harden

Harden struggled to take care of the ball yet again tonight, turning it over seven times. Coming into tonight, he averaged the second-most turnovers per game (5.1) in the playoffs. Harden found some game in the fourth quarter, where he was 4-6 from the floor, along with 5-5 from the line, totaling 13 points.

Before that, he was not efficient, shooting 2-9 and 1-6 from beyond the arc. If Cleveland wants to win this series, it will need to get the fourth-quarter version of Harden moving forward.