Cavaliers beat Pistons, 113-101, in home opener

So far, things are going well for the Cavaliers in Kenny Atkinson’s coaching era.

The Cavs played their home opener on October 25 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and pulled away from the Detroit Pistons, 113-101, after a nip-and-tuck first quarter to improve to 2-0.

Atkinson – hired in late June to replace the fired J.B. Bickerstaff – made a successful debut with the Cavaliers on Oct. 23 as the Cavs overwhelmed the Raptors, 136-106, in Toronto.

The Pistons, coached by Bickerstaff, led by one, 29-28, after the first quarter. The Cavaliers made 14 of 23 shots from the field in the second quarter to take a 65-55 lead into the locker room at halftime and never looked back.

All five Cavaliers starters – Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Dean Wade, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland finished in double figures. Wade and Mitchell each scored 19 points. Wade was 5 of 7 on three-point attempts.

Ty Jerome added 13 points as fifth of seven players off the Cavaliers bench.

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons (0-2) with 33 points on 14 of 24 shooting.

Atkinson emphasizes spacing and ball movement to make the Cavaliers better offensively, and it showed when they posted 19 assists on 24 baskets in the first half. Mitchell led with five assists through the first 24 minutes. The Cavaliers finished with 28 assists. Garland had a team of almost six helpers.

The Pistons didn’t go quietly. A turnaround fadeaway by Caris LeVert nine feet from the basket with 4:59 left in the third quarter gave the Cavs an 81-70 lead. The Pistons cut the deficit to 83-79 with 2:21 left in the quarter.

Atkinson calls a timeout. The Cavs ended the third with eight unanswered points to regain control.

Bickerstaff met with the media before the game and said he didn’t think it was strange to walk into the visitors’ locker room at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse after five years working in the coaches’ office next to the Cavaliers’ locker room. He didn’t sound bitter.

“It’s part of what we do,” Bickerstaff said. “Obviously we’re coming in on the bus instead of driving in and little things like that might be different, but at the end of the day it’s a basketball game and we’re trying to win.”

Fans in the FieldHouse applauded as a tribute video from Bickerstaff was shown on the Humungotron during a first-half timeout. Bickerstaff smiled slightly, but did not wave to the crowd in the sold-out arena.

The Cavaliers return to action on October 26 when they play the Washington Wizards at Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C. at 7 p.m.