Jenkins, Cunningham lead Pistons past Cavaliers

Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News on Jan 4, 2026

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CLEVELAND — The Detroit Pistons led 106-93 with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. At the time, it appeared they would be on the verge of an easy win, but the Cleveland Cavaliers mounted a late rally. But by leaning upon the lessons of last season, the Pistons prevailed, taking a 114-110 win at Rocket Arena Sunday.

The Pistons improved to 26-9 in picking up their second win against the Cavaliers this season.

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 27 points, shooting 7 of 22 from the field and a perfect 11 of 11 from the free-throw line. Additionally, he contributed seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. While the All-Star guard delivered another MVP-worthy performance, it was Daniss Jenkins who played a crucial role in securing Detroit's victory.

Jenkins came off the bench to tally 25 points and five assists. He scored 21 points during the second quarter, helping the Pistons overcome an early 12-point deficit. He started the game shooting 6 of 6 from the field, 5 of 5 on 3-pointers.

Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 30 points and added six rebounds, and Darius Garland scored 16 for Cleveland (20-17).

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