AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Andre Drummond had 20 points and 16 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons scored the first 13 points of the fourth quarter before holding on for a 106-101 victory over the injury-plagued Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.
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 Reggie 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, but the Cavs’ lead would never surpass 15.