Detroit Pistons see season end with 31-point loss in Game 7 - ESPN

DETROIT — With the Pistons trailing by 34 points with 5:51 remaining, Cade Cunningham's night ended early as he was called to the bench between free throws while fans were exiting Little Caesars Arena.

The All-Star guard hugged coach J.B. Bickerstaff and each of his teammates who were standing on the sideline before taking a seat after logging a playoff career-low 13 points.

The top-seeded Pistons were eliminated in Game 7 at home vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, 125-94, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Detroit's 31-point loss marked the third-largest loss by a 60-win team in NBA postseason history, according to ESPN Research, but Bickerstaff refused to label the 2025-26 season as a letdown.

«It's not a disappointment at all. And not ever will I be disappointed in these guys,» Bickerstaff said. «These guys, every single day gave us what they got. So, it is not a disappointment. It's a loss and it's a tough loss, but that adjective will never be used with this group.»

Cunningham shot 5-for-16 from the field and went 0-for-7 from 3-point range with five assists and three turnovers. The Pistons trailed by 17 points at halftime, which was the second-largest halftime deficit by a 1-seed in a Game 7 since seeding began in 1983-84, according to ESPN Research.

«That game sucked,» Cunningham said. «Being back home, definitely wanted to get this win for the fans. It reminded me of last year, losing on the home court.

»It's not a great feeling. I hadn't been thinking about the offseason so my mind's been racing now, trying to figure out what I've got to do and what it's going to look like. That's really it."

Since 2017, home teams are 14-15 (.483 win pct) in Game 7s (excluding the 2020 bubble). However, prior to this span, home