CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers tied the National Basketball Association single-game playoff three-point record with 20 triples to help defeat the Detroit Pistons in Game 2 at Quicken Loans Arena, 107-90. With the win, Cleveland holds a 2-0 series lead in the first round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs.
The Pistons jumped out to a quick 15-7 lead by shooting 6-of-11 from the floor. With 6:46 left in the first quarter, LeBron James was scoreless and Tristan Thompson was on the bench with two fouls. The lead for Detroit increased to 26-17 with 1:53 left in the quarter as Stanley Johnson, a rookie, scored a three-pointer to prompt the Cavaliers to call a timeout.
Stanley Johnson #3 of the Detroit Pistons looks on during the fourth quarter. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images North America)
J.R. Smith answered the calling for Cleveland and kept them in the game as he hit back-to-back triples to end the first quarter. The Pistons, however, owned a 28-23 edge.
Cleveland started the second quarter with a 5-0 run on a dunk by James and a three-pointer by Richard Jefferson. The two squads traded baskets for awhile, but Detroit eventually took a 46-45 lead with 2:51 left in the first half off a bucket by Andre Drummond, who had six of the last eight points for his team at that point in the game.
After a missed three, James got the rebound and put the ball through the net to give the Cavaliers a 55-53 lead over the Pistons at halftime. Cleveland were shooting 11-of-20 from three and got 16 points from James, 15 points from Smith and 13 points from Kryie Irving.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit a triple and Drummond added a left hook to put the Pistons ahead 60-55 with 10:23 left in the third quarter. The game was headed in favor of Detroit, but then Cleveland started to pull away on its home floor.
LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives on Reggie Jackson #1 of the Detroit Pistons. (Jason Miller/Getty Images North America)
The Cavaliers took a 71-62 lead with 4:47 left in the third quarter after a huge 16-2 run that saw the Pistons miss six straight shots and the Cavaliers knock down four three-pointers during the stretch. Cleveland set a franchise record with 17 three-point jumpers to end the third quarter with an 82-68 lead.
Channing Frye hit the 18th three-pointer, Kevin Love hit the 19th three-pointer and Jordan McRae knocked down a 25-foot triple for the 20th of the game for the Cavaliers to tie an NBA playoff record. Cleveland had no trouble finishing off the game and securing a 107-90 victory over Detroit.
James led the way for the Cavaliers with 27 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Smith added 21 points -- all three-pointers -- on Wednesday night. Irving assisted on four scores while knocking down 22 points. Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris combined for a terrible 5-of-21 from the field for the Pistons. Meanwhile, Drummond scored a team-high 20 points and pulled down seven boards in the losing effort.
Up Next
After a third quarter meltdown, the Pistons sit in a 2-0 series deficit against the Cavaliers. Detroit will return to The Palace of Auburn Hills for Game 3 on Friday at 7:00 PM ET.
