DETROIT — In the season opener, the Pistons let a late lead get away in a loss to the Washington Wizards.
They did it again in the home opener.
Not once, but twice.
The Pistons squandered an eight-point lead in the final four minutes of regulation and a nine-point lead in the first overtime, letting the Cleveland Cavaliers claw back into the game time and time again.
In the second overtime, the Pistons fell into a deficit and couldn’t climb out, taking a stunning 128-119 loss to the Cavs on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Jerami Grant had 28 points and 10 rebounds, Blake Griffin 26 points and six rebounds and Delon Wright 19 points and six rebounds for the Pistons (0-2).
It was a weird scene at Little Caesars Arena, which had a limited number of spectators — fewer than 250, as allowed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. It was also the first game back at Little Caesars Arena for longtime Pistons center Andre Drummond, who finished with 23 points, 16 rebounds and five assists.
In the second overtime, the Cavs (2-0) jumped out to a hot start, with a pair of baskets by Collin Sexton (32 points) and a 3-pointer by Darius Garland (21 points and 12 assists). Kevin Love (15 points and nine rebounds) hit three free throws, giving the Cavs their biggest lead since late in regulation.
They rolled the rest of the way.
The Pistons trailed, 78-67, midway through the third quarter and looked to be sinking, but they turned up the defense and went on a 19-3 run to finish the quarter, capped by a running half-court heave by Grant at the buzzer. That made it an 86-81 margin, the Pistons’ first lead since late in the first quarter.
They looked to have the victory in hand, leading by eight after a 3-pointer by Wright (12 points) but the Pistons didn’t score in the remainder of regulation and the Cavs got a dunk by Sexton and Drummond went 5 of 6 on free throws, tying it at 101 with 1:08 left.
The Cavs had a chance to win but missed on a drive by Garland.
The Pistons jumped ahead in overtime, with a free throw by Grant, a drive by Derrick Rose (13 points) and a put-back dunk by Grant. Rose followed with a 3-pointer and the Pistons had a 109-101 lead at the 3:47 mark, but the Cavs weren’t done.
Drummond converted a put-back dunk and after a 3-pointer by Grant, Drummond scored on a hook and Kevin Love followed with a 3-pointer. The Cavs had a 9-0 run — one better than their finish to regulation — and tied it on a drive by Sexton with 7.6 seconds left.
