Drummond, Jackson Lead Pistons Past Cavaliers, NBA Roundup

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Published on March 10 2017 6:16 am
Last Updated on March 10 2017 6:17 am

By ESPN

If Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond play like they did Thursday night, the Detroit Pistons shouldn't have much trouble making the playoffs.

Drummond had 20 points and 16 rebounds, and the Pistons scored the first 13 points of the fourth quarter before holding on for a 106-101 victory over the injury-plagued Cleveland Cavaliers. Jackson led Detroit with 21 points, including 12 in the final period.

"My teammates were just telling me to go out there and be myself, be aggressive on offense and try to make the right play," Jackson said. "It was a great team win, and most importantly, our defensive stops is what really got us the win."

Detroit now leads Chicago by a half-game for the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists -- and threw down over a half-dozen tremendous dunks -- but the Cavaliers have now lost three straight and five of their last seven. J.R. Smith played for Cleveland after a thumb injury had kept him out since December, but Kevin Love and Kyle Korver were out, and the Cavaliers lost Andrew Bogut earlier in the week with a broken leg .

Cleveland led 80-73 after finishing the third quarter with a 22-5 run, but the Pistons started strong in the fourth, and a tip-in by Jackson gave Detroit an 82-80 advantage.

Jackson also beat the shot clock with a floater with 55 seconds left, lifting the Pistons to a 103-98 lead.

James and Kyrie Irving had 19 points each in the first half, but Detroit led 55-52 after two quarters. James had five dunks in the half, including a two-hander in the first quarter in which he swung a bit on the rim and received a technical foul. That play gave Cleveland a 27-12 advantage.

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said Detroit's Marcus Morris asserted himself in the huddle at that point.

"He stopped and said, `I got this," Van Gundy said. "He went after them pretty good, to the point that I had to be the one to be positive after he was done. I'm not usually good cop, so that was a little bit interesting."

Detroit was up 68-58 in the third before Cleveland closed the quarter with a huge run. Channing Frye made four 3-pointers for the Cavs in that stretch, all from around the same spot on the right wing.

Irving finished with 27 points.


Thursday, March 9 Scoreboard

Detroit 106, Cleveland 101

Los Angeles Clippers 114, Memphis 98

Oklahoma City 102, San Antonio 92

Portland 114, Philadelphia 108 (OT)

Los Angeles Lakers 122, Phoenix 110

 

Friday, March 10 Schedule (All Times Central)

Orlando at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Houston at Chicago, 7 p.m.

Indiana at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

Golden State at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

Boston at Denver, 8 p.m.

Brooklyn at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Washington at Sacramento, 9:30 p.m.


Saturday, March 11 Schedule (All Times Central)

Utah at Oklahoma City, 2 p.m.

Philadelphia at Los Angeles Clippers, 2:30 p.m.

New York at Detroit, 4 p.m.

New Orleans at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Cleveland at Orlando, 6 p.m.

Minnesota at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Miami, 7 p.m.

Golden State at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

Atlanta at Memphis, 8 p.m.

Phoenix at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Washington at Portland, 9 p.m.

Denver at Sacramento, 9:30 p.m.


Sunday, March 12 (All Times Central)

Chicago at Boston, 2:30 p.m.

New York at Brooklyn, 5 p.m.

Miami at Indiana, 5 p.m.

Portland at Phoenix, 8 p.m.

Cleveland at Hosuton, 8 p.m.

Philadelphia at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m.