The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers were already deep into a chaotic, “twilight zone” matchup at Little Caesars Arena when Donovan Mitchell decided to steal the show from the sidelines. With a broken scoreboard and a literal handheld air horn dictating the game’s rhythm, Mitchell provided the perfect comedic beat to an otherwise stressful Friday night for the Cavs
While taking part in an in-game interview from the bench, the sidelined Cavs superstar couldn't help but play “armchair ref.” As he watched Dennis Schröder get a steal and then get fouled, Mitchell cut himself off to lobby for his teammate. “Look at Dennis, man. That's a foul. Sorry,” he joked. It was a rare moment of levity in a building that felt more like a construction site than an NBA arena.
"Look at Dennis, man. That's a foul."
—Donovan Mitchell joined the broadcast from the bench 😂 pic.twitter.com/CWlyHJK2fw
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 28, 2026
The jokes eventually faded as the Pistons ground out a 122-119 victory in an overtime thriller. Jalen Duren was a man possessed, anchoring Detroit with a massive 33-point, 16-rebound triple-double. Cade Cunningham was just as clinical, with 26 points and seven assists to secure the win in front of a rowdy home crowd.
Despite being down Mitchell and James Harden, the Cavs refused to go quietly. Evan Mobley put up 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Jarrett Allen’s 25 points kept them alive long enough to force a 114-114 tie at the end of regulation. In the end, Detroit’s interior strength proved too much for the shorthanded Cavs to handle in the extra five minutes.
Despite showing tremendous grit and determination, the Cavs could not overcome the Pistons, who were missing their stars.
