Despite setting themselves up for a great closeout opportunity in Game 6, the Cleveland Cavaliers crumbled in 115-94 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. With a do-or-die Game 7 looming, it's hard to know which version of the Cavs will emerge on Sunday.
Trust is a funny thing.
It takes a long time to gain it. But a mere moment to lose it.
An embarrassing 107-91 loss to the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 proved once again that the Cavs simply can't be trusted.
Everything was set up perfectly. Cleveland had stolen Game 5 in Detroit on the back of a 9-0 run in the final four minutes of regulation to force overtime, then win. Home court was on their side. Momentum was on their side. They had transformed into the more physical basketball team, rendering Pistons' big man Jalen Duren useless in the series.
All that goodwill, gone in an instant in front of an electric Cleveland crowd at Rocket Arena on Friday night.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson said his team had the "appropriate fear" of Detroit going into a close-out situation in Game 6. Maybe so, but the Pistons played like their season was at stake and the Cavs looked like a team that would rather be anywhere else.
It starts with star guard Donovan Mitchell. Much like the roller-coaster ride of this Cavs postseason, the Mitchell experience this postseason has also felt like a trip to Cedar Point.
That was the case again in Game 6, where Mitchell shot a dismal 6-of-20 from the floor, for just 18 points. He was -25 in more than 37 minutes. If you take out the otherworldly second-half in Game 4 that saw Mitchell score a record-tying 39 points on 12-of-18 shooting, the seven-time All-Star is shooting just 30% from the floor and 21% from three.
Late in the second half on Friday night, he looked gassed, but asserted afterward he's healthy, and there's nothing wrong.
If it's just fatigue, the Cavs only have themselves to blame for that for taking the longest road through these first two series. It's also not an excuse when the Pistons have followed an identical path. With their season on the line for the fourth time this postseason, they had the appropriate level of pep in their step.
It's also telling that the hustle stats have been largely dominated by Detroit throughout the entirety of this series. Cleveland has won the offensive rebound battle just twice in this series and the Pistons have scored 13 more second-chance points.
It's no secret that turnovers have been a major problem for the Cavaliers throughout this postseason. In three of the six games during this series, they've finished a game with fewer turnovers than Detroit, but they're getting outscored 152-98 in points off those miscues.
A lack of effort, energy and force have come up way too many times throughout this postseason with the Cavs. A lack of those things defined Game 6, too and now, they've given new life and momentum back to Detroit, who head home with everything on their side, including home court.
The volatility of this Cavaliers team is truly astounding. On their best days, they're an offensive juggernaut that can beat anyone left in this playoff field. On their worst days, well, you get what you saw in Game 6.
It's why nobody should be surprised if they win Game 7 somehow, then go on to give the Knicks a series in the Eastern Conference Finals or even win it. They're talented enough to pull it off.
Conversely, nobody should be surprised if they lose it in lopsided fashion and enter an offseason of questions, changes and turmoil.
Throughout the 2026 NBA playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been much too flippant with the trust of their fans. They'll put it to the test again Sunday night.
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