Pistons Outlast Short-Handed Cavs in OT

Game delayed 18 minutes due to malfunctioning scoreboard

Feb. 28, 2026 at 5:30am

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The Detroit Pistons defeated the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers 122-119 in overtime on Friday night, in a game that was delayed for 18 minutes in the third quarter due to a malfunctioning scoreboard and horn. Jalen Duren led the Pistons with 33 points and 16 rebounds, while Cade Cunningham had 25 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists before fouling out. The Cavaliers, playing without James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, were led by Jarrett Allen's 25 points and 9 rebounds.

Why it matters

The Pistons' victory over the Cavaliers, who were missing key players, keeps Detroit in the lead in the Eastern Conference standings. The game's lengthy delay due to technical issues also highlights the challenges teams and arenas can face when dealing with malfunctioning equipment during live sporting events.

The details

With Detroit leading 65-64 in the third quarter, a power surge caused the overhead scoreboard to malfunction, with the horn remaining on after signaling the teams to return to the floor. The teams returned to the benches for 13 minutes before the arena staff shut down the scoreboard and the game resumed with a manual airhorn. Despite the Cavaliers leading by 9 points late in regulation, the Pistons rallied to force overtime, where they held on for the victory.

  • The game was delayed for 18 minutes in the third quarter due to the scoreboard malfunction.
  • The Pistons and Cavaliers will face off again on Tuesday night in Cleveland.

The players

Jalen Duren

A Pistons player who led his team with 33 points and 16 rebounds.

Cade Cunningham

A Pistons player who had 25 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists before fouling out.

Jarrett Allen

A Cavaliers player who had 25 points and 9 rebounds.

Evan Mobley

A Cavaliers player who had 23 points and 12 rebounds.

James Harden

A Cavaliers player who missed the game due to a thumb injury.

Donovan Mitchell

A Cavaliers player who missed the game due to a groin injury.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been out there for 15 minutes trying to figure out what was going on. It was a strange situation, but the officials handled it well and we were able to get the game back underway.”

— J.B. Bickerstaff, Pistons Coach (tribtoday.com)

“Losing James and Donovan was tough, but our guys battled hard and had a chance to win it at the end. We'll be ready to go again on Tuesday when they come to our place.”

— Kenny Atkinson, Cavaliers Coach (tribtoday.com)

What’s next

The Cavaliers will host the Pistons on Tuesday night in a rematch of this overtime thriller.

The takeaway

Despite the technical difficulties and missing key players, both the Pistons and Cavaliers showed grit and determination in this hard-fought overtime game, highlighting the competitive nature of the Eastern Conference playoff race.