Final Score: Cavs show fight, but fall to Pistons 110-103

After the Cavs lost to the Nets on Wednesday, Tristan Thompson said that the Cavaliers needed to show some fight. On Thursday, the Cavs did just that, even if it didn’t result in their first win.

Yes, with their 110-103 loss to the Pistons, the Cavs remain winless at 0-5. They are the only team in the Eastern Conference without a win.

But this game saw the team make progress.

For one, they never trailed by 20 points (or more) at any point in the game — something that had happened in the previous four. And in the third quarter, when Detroit pushed its lead to 14 points and looked to be on the brink of breaking the game open, Cleveland fought back and kept the game close until the end. That’s exactly what they hadn’t done so far this season.

The Cavs also had perhaps their best offensive game of the season, despite being without Kevin Love due to ankle soreness. Kyle Korver got loose for the first time, making four of his seven three-pointers a day after not taking a single one against Brooklyn.

Jordan Clarkson was again key off the bench, shooting 8-12 from the field and making tough shots, even if they weren’t the most efficient looks. And perhaps most importantly, Collin Sexton rebounded from two bad performances against the Hawks and Nets to score 14 points, dish out five assists and finish the game on the floor as the Cavs made their last push.

On Saturday, Cleveland will get another shot at their first win when the host the Pacers. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.