Final Score: Cavs bully Pistons in 98–78 blowout

In these deeply trying times we live in, it’s good to have constants in your life—things you can depend on to provide some semblance of routine, structure, normalcy.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have plenty of constants to count on these days. Darius Garland will seize control for a few fleeting seconds at the end of a quarter. Jarrett Allen will throw down roughly 100 dunks, one or more of which would get him beaned in the head were this baseball. Evan Mobley will do something so stupefying that, before long, you’ll start drooling like Pavlov’s dogs every time someone possesses the ball in his general vicinity.

The Cavaliers did all those things in tonight’s 98–78 spanking of the Detroit Pistons. The main event—Mobley vs. Cade Cunningham—was relatively tame; Mobley (16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks) arguably outplayed Cunningham (9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists but 7 turnovers), but there was nothing resembling Cunningham’s snarl-off with Houston Rockets rookie Jalen Green. Outside of that, this looked like the biggest ‘gimme’ win the Cavs have had yet.

The Pistons’ league-worst offense held up its end of the bargain. Detroit turned the ball over eight times in the opening frame and 23 times overall. When they did shoot, they usually missed (36 percent from the floor). If the Cavs had scored zero points in the entire third quarter, they still would’ve entered the fourth tied at 52. The fourth quarter happened, yes, but it can be summarized as cruise control while the crowd lost its collective marbles over Tacko Fall.

No-doubt wire-to-wire victories are always welcome, but this one was particularly refreshing. The Cavs haven’t often been on the right end of garbage time in the last few years, and but this one was especially refreshing after the series of palm sweat-inducers the Cavs just played.

Up next: The Cavs are back at it tomorrow night as the Boston Celtics come to town. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. (And it’s on NBA TV! A national TV game! Moving up in the world!)