Detroit, MI
Metro Detroit School Closings: Here's A List Of School Closings
METRO DETROIT — Hundreds of schools across metro Detroit are closed Tuesday due to a winter storm that’s expected to bring snow, freezing rain and ice to the area.
All of southeastern Michigan is under a winter weather advisory through 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Here are the metro Detroit area schools (unless where noted) that are closed Tuesday:
Last updated: 12:32 a.m.
Macomb County
4K Learning Center Southgate
Anchor Bay School District
Angel’s Corner Center
Armada Area Schools
Arts Acdmy in the Woods
Assumption Center
Assumption Nursery
Austin Catholic High School
Bethlehem Lutheran Early Learning
Boys and Girls Club – Eastpointe
CSDD New Haven
CSDD Shelby
CSDD Warren
Center Line Prep. Acdmy
Center Line Public Schools
Chippewa Valley School District
Chiquitos Bilingual Montessori
Clintondale Community Schools
Creative Employment Clinton Twp.
Creative Employment Washington Twp.
Cross of Glory Lutheran
Crown of Life Lutheran
DeLaSalle Collegiate High
Eastpointe Community Schools
Eaton Acdmy
Faith Christian-Clinton Twp
First Friends Montessori
Fitzgerald Public Schools
Fraser Public Schools
Frontier International Academy(K-5)
Great Lakes Child Dev Ctr. Warren
Great Oaks Acdmy-Warren
Harper Woods CCI Center
Huron Academy
Immanuel Lutheran-Macomb
International Acdmy of Macomb
L’Anse Creuse Public Schools
Lake Shore Public Schools
Lakeview Public Schools (Macomb)
Life Skills New Haven
Life Skills Roseville
Little Turtle Prschl
Lutheran High-North
Macomb Acdmy
Macomb Children’s Acdmy
Macomb ISD-Edu Service Ctr
Macomb ISD-Special Ed Pgms
Macomb Life Skills
Macomb Montessori Acdmy
Merritt Acdmy
Michigan Collegiate
Michigan Math and Science Academy
Michigan Montessori Childrens Acad
Montessori Childrens Acdmy-Clinton
Mt Clemens Community Schools
Mt. Clemens Montessori Acdmy
New Dawn Academy
New Haven Community Schools
Noor International Acdmy
Parkway Christian
Peace Lutheran-Shelby Twp
Prevail Acdmy
Reach Charter Acdmy
Regina High
Richmond Community Schools
Rising Stars Acdmy
Romeo Community Schools
Roseville Community Schools
Spark’s Little Learners Acdmy
St. Anne Catholic
St. Augustine Catholic
St. Clair Shores Senior Center
St. Germaine Catholic
St. Isaac Jogues Catholic (No PM Activities)
St. Joan of Arc Catholic
St. John Lutheran-Fraser
St. Joseph’s Acdmy-RAY TWP
St. Lawrence Catholic School
St. Mary Catholic-Mt Clemens
St. Peter Lutheran-Eastpointe
St. Peter Lutheran-Macomb
St. Peter’s Lutheran-Richmond
St. Thecla Catholic Elem
Trinity Lutheran-Clinton Twp
Trinity Lutheran-Utica
Utica Community Schools
Van Dyke Public Schools
Warren Consolidated Schools
Warren Woods Christian
Warren Woods Public Schools
Wee Love Day Care
Westfield Charter Academy
Oakland County
4K Learning Center Southgate
Academy of the Sacred Heart
Archdiocese of Detroit
Aim High School
Alex-Marie Manoogian
Arts and Technology Acdmy
Avondale School District
Babes in Toyland-Troy
Berkley School District
Bethany Christian
Beverly Hills Acdmy
Birmingham Public Schools
Bishop Foley Catholic High
Bloomfield Hills Schools
Bloomfield Maples Montessori
Bradford Acdmy
Brookfield Acdmy-Troy
Brookfield Acdmy-W Bloomfield
Brother Rice High
Clarenceville School District
Clawson Public Schools
Cook’s Acdmy
Cranbrook – All Schools
Cranbrook Art Museum
Cranbrook Institute of Science
Creative Employment Pontiac
Crescent Acdmy (Building Closed-ONLINE classes still meet)
Detroit Catholic Central High
Detroit Country Day-All
Eagle Creek Acdmy
Early Impressions
Eton Acdmy
Farber Hebrew Day School
Farmington Public Schools
Faxon Academy
Ferndale Public Schools
Flex High School of Pontiac
FlexTech High School-Novi
Foster’s Childcare and Learning Cen
Four Corners Montessori Acdmy
Frankel Jewish Acdmy
Great Lakes Academy
Guardian Angels Catholic
Harper Woods CCI Center
Hillel Day
Holy Name Catholic
Hope Christian Academy
Huron Valley Schools
Japhet School
Keys Grace Academy
Lahser Pre-Voctnl Ctr-Clarkston
Lakecrest Baptist
Lakes Area Montessori
Lamphere Public Schools
Lutheran High NW
Madison Dist Public Schools-Oakland
Madison Heights C.E.O.
Marian High
Marketti Acdmy of Cosmetology
Mercy High (Building Closed-ONLINE classes still meet)
Milford Montessori
Momentum Academy
North Hills Child Care
Notre Dame Lower Division
Notre Dame Prep (Building Closed-ONLINE classes still meet )
Novi Christian Academy
Novi Community School District
OLHSA/All Headstart Locations
Oak Park Schools
Oak Park Service Learning Academy
Oakdale Academy
Oakland Children’s Acdmy
Oakland Family Services-CLC
Oakland Tech-SE Campus
Oakland Tech-SW Campus
Oakside Scholars Charter Acdmy
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs
Our Lady of Refuge
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic
Our Shepherd Lutheran Daycare
PACE Academy
Pontiac Acdmy for Excellence
Pontiac School District
Premiere Preschool-Welch
Rochester Hills Christian
Rolston Hockey Academy
Royal Oak School District
Saint Catherine of Siena Acdmy
Schoolhouse Montessori-Troy
Servicar-South Oakland
Shrine Catholic Grade
Shrine Catholic High & Acdmy
South Lyon Community Schools
Southfield Christian
Southfield Public Schools
Spanish For Toddlers
St. Fabian Catholic
St. Hugo of the Hills
St. Joseph Child Care Center
St. Mary Catholic-Royal Oak
St. Mary’s Preparatory
St. Patrick Catholic -White Lake
St. Paul Lutheran-Royal Oak
St. William Catholic
Temple Israel Early Childhood Ctr.
Total Education Solutions – Therapy
Troy School District
Walled Lake School District
Walton Charter Acdmy
Waterford Montessori Acdmy
Waterford School District
West Bloomfield School District
West Highland Christian Acdmy
Westfield Charter Academy
Wixom Christian
Wayne County
2 days Child Learning Center
4K Learning Center Southgate
ABT High
ASA Higher Learning Prep
Achieve Charter Acdmy
Advanced Technology Acdmy
Al-Ikhlas Training Acdmy
Allen Park Public Schools
Am Montessori Academy Upper
Am Montessori Acdmy-Lower
American Intl Acdmy District
Arc Dearborn
Barack Obama Leadership Academy
Barber Prepatory Academy
Beacon Elem
Boys and Girls Club – Dauch
Boys and Girls Club – Highland Park
Boys and Girls Club – Lloyd H Diehl
Branch Line School
Bridge Acdmy East
Bridge Acdmy West
Brookfield Acdmy-Livonia
Cabrini Elem & Middle
Cabrini High
Caniff Liberty Acdmy
Canton Charter Acdmy
Canton Prep High School
Cesar Chavez High
Cesar Chavez Middle
Cesar Chavez-Martin
Cesar Chavez-Vernor
Chandler Park Acdmy
Charlotte Mason Community
Christ Our Saviour Lutheran
Christ the King Lutheran-Southgate
Civic Park Senior Center
Commonwealth Comm Dev Acdmy
Cornerstone Jefferson-Douglas
Covenant House Academy – Detroit
Creative Academics Learning Center
Creative Empowerment – Westland
Creative Montessori Acdmy
Crescent Academy International
Crestwood School District
DK’s Childcare Academy
David Ellis Acdmy West-Redford
David Ellis Acdmy-Detroit
Davis Preparatory Academy
Dearborn Christian Preschool
Dearborn Early Learning Ctr
Dearborn Heights School District #7
Dearborn Public Schools
Detroit Acdmy of Arts and Sciences
Detroit Christian Schools
Detroit Community Schools (CHARTER)
Detroit Cristo Rey High
Detroit Edison Public Acdmy
Detroit Enterprise Acdmy
Detroit Innovation Acdmy
Detroit Leadership Acdmy-Virgil
Detroit Leadership AcdmyHigh School
Detroit Merit Charter Acdmy
Detroit Premier Acdmy
Detroit Prep
Detroit Public Safety Acdmy
Detroit Public Schools
Detroit Service Learning Acdmy
Detroit Waldorf School
Discovery Creative Pathways H.W.
Discovery Creative Pathways Redford
Divine Child Elem
Divine Child High
Dove Acdmy of Detroit
Early College of Excellence
Ecorse Public Schools
Emmanuel Lutheran
Flagship Charter Acdmy (No PM Activities)
Flat Rock Community Schools
Focus HOPE Child Care Ctr
Focus Hope Training (Building Closed-ONLINE classes still meet )
Fostering Leadership Academy
Gabriel Richard Catholic High
Garden City Public Schools
George Crockett Acdmy (No PM Activities)
George Washington Carver Acdmy
Gesu Elem
Gibraltar School District
Global Heights Acdmy
Grand River Acdmy
Grosse Ile Township Schools
Grosse Pointe Acdmy
Grosse Pointe Nursery
Grosse Pointe Public Schools
Guardian Lutheran
Guidance Ctr-Belleville Head Start
Guidance Ctr-Lincoln Prk Head Start
Guidance Ctr-River Rouge Head Start
Guidance Ctr-Romulus Head Start
Guidance Ctr-Taylor Head Start
Hamtramck Acdmy
Hamtramck Public Schools
Hanley International Acdmy
Harper Woods CCI Center
Harper Woods High School
Harper Woods Middle School
Harper Woods School District
Henry Ford Acdmy-Dearborn
Holy Redeemer Elem
Hope Acdmy
Hope of Detroit Acdmy (No PM Activities)
Huron School District
Inkster Preparatory Academy (No PM Activities)
Inter-City Baptist
Island Kiddie Kampus Mainland
Ivywood Classical Academy
Jalen Rose Leadership Acdmy
Joy Prep Acdmy-Dexter
KIPP Detroit Imani Admy
Keystone Acdmy (No PM Activities)
LACC Childcare Acdmy
Legacy Charter Acdmy
Lincoln Park Public Schools
Lincoln-King Acdmy
Livonia Public Schools
Loyola High
Lutheran High-Westland
ML King Jr Edu Center
MacDowell Preparatory Academy
Madison-Carver Acdmy
Matrix Head Start
Melvindale-N Allen Park Schools
Merrill Palmer Skillman Inst ECC
Metro Charter Acdmy
Metropolitan SDA Junior Acdmy
Mi Cookie Project
Michigan Barber School (Building Closed-ONLINE classes still meet)
Montessori Acdmy Canton
Montessori Center of Our Lady
Montessori Center-Downriver
Montessori Child Development Center
Montessori Children’s-Allen Park
Most Holy Trinity Elem
My Baby And Me
My First Schoolhouse
New Beginning Head Start
New Paradigm College Prep
New St. Paul Head Start
Northville Christian
Northville Public School District
Oakland Int Acdmy-Elem
Oakland Intl Acdmy High
Oakland Intl Acdmy Middle
Old Redford Academy Elem Detroit
Old Redford Academy High
Old Redford Academy Middle
Our Lady Star of the Sea
Our Lady of Good Counsel Plym
Our Lady of Victory
P&A Scholars Beauty-Detroit
Pathways Academy
Peace Lutheran-Livonia
Pembroke Academy
Plymouth Christian Acdmy
Plymouth Edu Center K-8 (No PM Activities)
Plymouth Scholars Charter Acdmy
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
Plymouth-Canton Montessori
Quality Learning Center
Quest Charter Acdmy
Redford Service Learning Acdmy
Redford Union School District
Regent Park Scholars Acdmy
Renaissance Head Start
River Rouge School District
Riverside Acdmy East
Riverside Acdmy West
Riverview School District
Romulus Community Schools
Rutherford Winans Academy
Sacred Heart-Dearborn
Schoolhouse Montessori Canton
Seeds of Knowledge
Siena Literacy Center
South Canton Scholars Acdmy
South Redford School District
Southgate Community Schools
Southgate Kiddie Kampus
St. Anselm Catholic
St. Clare of Montefalco
St. Edith Catholic School
St. John Paul II Classical Catholic (No PM Activities)
St. John’s Evg Lutheran-New Boston
St. John’s Evg Lutheran-Westland
St. Joseph-Trenton
St. Linus Catholic
St. Mary Child Care Ctr
St. Matthew Lutheran-Westland
St. Michael Catholic-Livonia
St. Michael Lutheran
St. Paul Christian Prschl – Trenton
St. Paul Lutheran – Northville
St. Paul on the Lake Catholic
St. Pius Catholic-Southgate
St. Stephen Catholic-New Boston
St. Valentine Catholic
St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center
Star Intl Academy – Canton
Star Intrnl Acdmy-George
Star Intrnl Acdmy-Hass
Starfish F.S Covenant House ECE Ctr
Starfish F.S. Cecil ECE Center
Starfish F.S. Central Ave ECE Ctr.
Starfish F.S. Crestwood ECE Center
Starfish F.S. Fort St. ECE Center
Starfish F.S. Hiveley ECE Center
Starfish F.S. Livonia ECE Center
Starfish F.S. Marygrove Head Start
Starfish F.S. Sal Army ECE Center
Starfish F.S. Thorne ECE Center
Starfish F.S. Westwood ECE Center
Starfish FS Plymouth/Canton ECE Ctr
Starting Point Montessori
Summer Prschl ELC
Summit Acdmy North Elem
Summit Acdmy North High
Summit Acdmy North Middle
Tawheed Center of Detroit
Taylor Exemplar Acdmy
Taylor Prep High
Taylor School District
The Boggs School
The Dearborn Acdmy
Tipton Acdmy
Trenton Christian Preschool
Trenton Public Schools
Trillium Acdmy
Trix Academy
Tyrone Elem
UM-Dearborn Early Childhood Edu Ctr
United Children Head Start
Unity Head Start
Univ Learning Acdmy-Westland
Univ Prep Art and Design Dist UPAD
Univ Prep Science & Math-UPSM Dist.
Universal Acdmy-Detroit
University Liggett
University Prep Acdmy – UPA Dist
University YES Acdmy
Van Buren Public Schools
Vista Meadows Acdmy
Voyageur Acdmy
Voyageur College Prep
Warrendale Charter Acdmy
Washington-Parks Acdmy
Wayne County Meals on Wheels
Wayne Metro Art Space
Wayne Metro Head Start – Dearborn S
Wayne Metro Head Start ACCESS
Wayne Metro Head Start Garden City
Wayne Metro Head Start St. Albert
Wayne Metro Head Start-Hamtramck
Wayne Metro Head Start-Harper Woods
Wayne Metro Head Start-HighlandPark
Wayne Metro Head Start-Taylor
Wayne Metro Head Start-Westland
Wayne-Westland Community Schools
Westfield Charter Academy
Westfield Prepatory High School
Westland Christian Acdmy
Weston Prep Acdmy
Westwood Community Schools (No PM Activities)
Woodhaven-Brownstown Schools
Wyandotte Christian Academy
Wyandotte Public Schools
LAKELAND, FL – Opening Day is 21 days away.
The Detroit Tigers are deep into spring training in TigerTown. Pitchers and catchers reported Feb. 11, position players arrived Feb. 15, and the first game took place Feb. 21.
After three weeks of camp, including one and a half weeks of games, leaders have emerged in the battles for roster spots among pitchers and position players – but nothing is guaranteed.
Here’s a look at our second version of how the Tigers should fill their 26-man 2026 Opening Day roster, with exactly three weeks until the first game of the regular season.
[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Days of Roar” your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
Right elbow arthroscopy in late January has limited Dingler in the early weeks of spring training, but he is expected to be fully healthy by Opening Day as the starting catcher.
The only question is how the Tigers will deploy their two catchers.
It could make sense for backup catcher Jake Rogers to catch left-handers Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, even though Dingler caught 25 of Skubal’s 31 starts last season. The reasoning is simple: The Tigers will need more offense from their catcher when their other three starters are pitching – and Dingler is the better hitter.
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Torkelson is locked into the Opening Day roster after hitting .240 with 31 home runs in 155 games last season, ranking 14th among 25 first basemen with a .789 OPS.
He has experienced ups and downs in his four-year MLB career, including two demotions to Triple-A Toledo and two seasons with 31 home runs. The next step is becoming an All-Star-caliber player.
This spring, Torkelson is hitting .250 (3-for-12) with four strikeouts in five games. He also went 1-for-2 with one walk (and two hit by pitches) in two games against Team Dominican Republic in a two-game exhibition series.
The Tigers retained Torres when he received and accepted the one-year, $22.03 million qualifying offer. He will be relied upon as the everyday second baseman in the lineup and a reliable on-base presence near the top of the batting order.
In 2025, Torres hit .256 with 16 home runs, 85 walks and 101 strikeouts across 145 games.
This spring, Torres is hitting .286 (4-for-14) with one walk and three strikeouts in five games. He left the Tigers to represent Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, which runs from March 5-17.
McGonigle hasn’t played above Double-A Erie, but his performance against Team Dominican Republic in the first game of the exhibition series showed why he belongs on the Opening Day roster.
The 21-year-old shortstop hit a first-pitch 98.1 mph fastball from right-hander Luis Severino for a leadoff home run in the first inning, pulling it 461 feet to right field with a 110.4 mph exit velocity – making noise in a new environment at the electric Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo. After the homer, he added a two-run single, five-pitch walk and leadoff single to finish his four plate appearances.
McGonigle has passed every on-field test in camp.
He also looks comfortable around big leaguers behind the scenes.
This spring, McGonigle is hitting .400 (6-for-15) with two walks and four strikeouts across seven games. He also went 3-for-5 with two walks and two strikeouts in two games against Team Dominican Republic.
The Tigers are prepared for Keith to serve as the primary third baseman.
In 2024-25, Keith hit .237 with a .660 OPS during the months of March/April and May, then improved to .269 with a .744 OPS during the months of June, July, August and September/October.
If Keith starts slowly again, utility player Zach McKinstry could handle third base until he heats up. McGonigle could also slide over to third while McKinstry handles shortstop.
This spring, Keith is hitting .154 (2-for-13) with two walks and seven strikeouts across six games. He also went 3-for-6 with one strikeout in two games against Team Dominican Republic.
If McGonigle secures an Opening Day spot, the Tigers will need to cut one of four outfielders: Vierling, Wenceel Pérez, Jahmai Jones or Parker Meadows.
Among them, Vierling has performed the best in spring training (with a track record of success when healthy), Pérez provides value off the bench as the only switch-hitter (with experience at all three outfield positions) and Jones is the top option against left-handed pitchers (without any minor-league options remaining).
That leaves Meadows on the outside looking in.
Last season, Meadows hit .215 in 58 games while posting minus-1 defensive runs saved over more than 450 innings in center field. This spring, he is hitting .059 (1-for-17) with one walk and five strikeouts in six games. He also went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Team Panama in an exhibition game.
The Tigers plan to use Greene at designated hitter more often after just 21 starts there last season. As a result, Carpenter has spent more time in left field this spring, in addition to his primary position in right field.
Even so, Carpenter should still receive most of the starts at designated hitter. Injuries have limited him from completing a full season during his four-year MLB career, and the designated hitter role helps keep his bat in the lineup while reducing wear and tear on his body.
This spring, Carpenter is hitting .235 (4-for-17) with six strikeouts in six games, making three starts in right field, two in left field and one at designated hitter. He also went 1-for-3 with one home run against Team Panama, starting in left field.
If McGonigle starts at shortstop, Meadows gets demoted to Triple-A Toledo and Báez takes over in center field, the Tigers would have McKinstry, Pérez and Jones as their three position players on the bench, not including Rogers as the backup catcher.
Who is next in line?
McKinstry and Rogers should be secure, but Pérez and Jones could find themselves on the hot seat if they struggle early in the season because neither has an established track record of success.
Pérez could be replaced by Trei Cruz, a switch-hitter who plays center field and shortstop, offering more defensive versatility than anyone else in the organization. Jones could be replaced by Hao-Yu Lee, a right-handed-hitting infielder who crushes left-handed pitchers, balancing the roster with above-average defense at second and third base.
Both Cruz and Lee joined the Tigers’ 40-man roster in mid-November, protecting them from the Rule 5 draft.
This spring, Cruz is hitting .308 (4-for-13) with three walks and one strikeout in seven games. He also went 0-for-3 with one strikeout against Team Panama, starting at shortstop.
The Big Five is locked in.
The Tigers bolstered their rotation by signing Valdez and Verlander in the 10 days leading up to spring training, helping offset the loss of right-hander Reese Olson to season-ending shoulder surgery. Right-hander Troy Melton could also miss significant time after being shut down from throwing with right elbow inflammation.
Moving from Olson to Verlander is a downgrade, but the Tigers still boast the best one-two punch in baseball with Skubal and Valdez at the top of the rotation. If another injury occurs, right-hander Drew Anderson is expected to shift from the bullpen into the rotation.
Five relievers are locked in with Jansen, Finnegan, Vest, Holton and Anderson, leaving three openings.
The Tigers already thinned the competition by optioning right-handers Keider Montero, Ty Madden and Dylan Smith to Triple-A Toledo, with Montero and Madden providing starting depth. The Tigers also lost right-handed reliever Beau Brieske to right ribcage tightness this spring, though the severity of the injury remains unknown.
Both Hurter and Hanifee have been key bullpen pieces in the past, making them top candidates for two of the three openings. But Hanifee has a notable flaw: He has thrived against right-handed hitters as a ground-ball specialist with his sinker-slider approach, but left-handers have hit .307 with an .857 OPS.
If the Tigers carry three left-handed relievers, Sommers could have the inside track on the final spot in the bullpen, especially with Bailey Horn still rehabbing from left elbow arthroscopy.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
The Detroit Lions are starting to take care of their own ahead of free agency, and it begins with one of the easier decisions to make. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions have tendered kicker Jake Bates an exclusive rights free agent offer. What that means is Bates now has a one-year contract offer at the minimum salary ($1,075,000 for Bates). He can choose to sign it or sit out the season.
The reason the Lions can offer this ERFA tender is because Bates’ contract is expiring after just two accrued seasons in the NFL. All players with fewer than three years of experience who are on expiring contracts could be offered these ERFA tenders. In fact, the Lions did so with three other ERFAs earlier this offseason, all of whom already signed the deals: OL Michael Niese, RB Jacob Saylors, and CB Nick Whiteside.
Bates is coming off a season where he took a step back after an outstanding 2024. After making 89.7% of his field goals in his first year with the Lions, Bates slid back to just 79.4% accuracy. That said, five of his seven misses all season were from 50+ yards, and he was a perfect 14-of-14 from 39 yards or shorter. Additionally, he increased his extra point accuracy from 95.5% to 96.4%. He also steadily improved at the new NFL kickoff, which requires a lot more precision from kickers to boot the ball as close to the goal line without going into the end zone.
It’s unclear if the Lions intend on bringing in competition for Bates this offseason, but special teams coordinator Dave Fipp made it abundantly clear all last season that they value Bates, despite some struggles in 2025.
“Clearly, we have a very, very good player,” Fipp said in December. “If you put him on the streets, there would be a bunch of teams claiming him right away. And the truth is, we’d have a really hard time finding a guy even near the same player as him.”
What questions have Pistons answered this season?
Friend of the pod Laz Jackson walks through what the Detroit Pistons have proved of themselves this year.
CLEVELAND – In just five days, the Detroit Pistons faced the Cleveland Cavaliers twice.
They split the games to finish their season series against the Central Division rivals, but with a potential reunion looming in the second round of the NBA playoffs, the Pistons came away from both games unsatisfied.
On Friday, it was the Pistons needing overtime to overcome a Cavaliers team missing James Harden and Donovan Mitchell at Little Caesars Arena. On Tuesday, March 3, in Cleveland, however – with Harden back in the lineup – the Pistons struggled in the areas they usually thrive, for a 113-109 loss.
The Pistons’ first loss on the road since Jan. 29 didn’t feature their usual fire for much of the night.
“I’m frustrated with the effort level, the attention to detail that we played on that end of the floor,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The times and opportunities where we did do the right thing, did get stops, we let people outwork us to come up with offensive rebounds. We can’t afford to not play at maximum effort. That’s been our superpower all year long and, tonight, I felt like there were times where we were outworked. If we’re outworked, this isn’t going to be the results that we want.”
The Pistons work at being the league’s most disruptive team via turnovers has given them a top-three defensive rating. They force turnovers on 17.2% of possessions – best in the NBA –and only trail the Houston Rockets in offensive rebounding percentage. They also lead the league in steals and blocks per game. Getting out in transition and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities has created an above-average offense despite struggles on 3-point shooting.
For three quarters against the Cavaliers, little of that materialized – as least until the Pistons grabbed seven steals in the final period (after just two in the first three). Overall, the Pistons were beat on the offensive glass (11-10), mustered just 10 fastbreak points (their lowest total since Jan. 27) and picked up 11 second-chance points (their least since Feb. 6).
It was, in all, a lackadaisical defensive performance, with the Pistons repeatedly losing shooters behind the arc as the Cavs knocked down 17 3-pointers – eight more than the Pistons.
“Obviously they’re a good team, but we haven’t been playing to our standard on that side of the ball,” Pistons wing Javonte Green said. “Coach talked about the effort we need to bring every game. We just need to play harder. We can’t get outworked on offensive rebounds and 50-50 balls, that’s our identity. I feel like we needed to pick up that slack.”
The Pistons also were hurt by a poor shooting performance by Cade Cunningham; he finished with 10 points and 14 assists but shot 4-for-16. Cleveland threw multiple defenders at him all night, and he obliged by passing the ball and setting up his teammates. It led to a big second half for Tobias Harris, who scored all 19 of his points in the last two quarters.
But it wasn’t enough.
“On the defensive end we just couldn’t put up a wall, couldn’t get a stand going,” Cunningham said. “Personally, I had a lot of bad closeouts; just off the ball, I didn’t feel sharp. Just gotta clean all that stuff up.”
With 22 games remaining, the Pistons are focused on cleaning up the margins so they’ll be ready for postseason play. These two games against the Cavaliers have given them a list of areas to clean up.
Friday, they needed an extra period to win after rallying from a late nine-point deficit despite losing Cunningham late after he fouled out with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins stepped up in overtime after Duncan Robinson also fouled out.
Mostly, the Cavaliers have proven they can pounce during soft stretches on defense. Thursday brings another rematch with a contender, as the Pistons wrap up a three-game road trip against the San Antonio Spurs (another opponent from last week).
“We didn’t play our best basketball the other night,” Bickerstaff said of the Cavaliers’ game on Feb. 27. “Give our guys credit because we played 53 minutes and were able to pull it out in some adverse conditions. Cade fouls out, Duncan fouls out, our guys still figure out a way to get it done.
“We need to be better. We need to be better defensively, we need to impose ourselves on the game a little bit more than we did last game. I thought the last two quarters of the Orlando game [on Sunday] were the best quarters we’ve played defensively since New York [on Feb. 19]. I hope, and told our guys, that we can continue to build off that, because that’s where it always starts for us. You can tell the tone by how we are defensively and how we’re getting after it.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky and/or X @omarisankofa.
[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]
Next up: Spurs
Matchup: Pistons (45-15) at San Antonio (44-17).
Tipoff: 8 p.m. Thursday, March 5; Frost Bank Center, San Antonio.
TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit; WXYT-FM (97.1).
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World1 week agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
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Florida4 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
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Denver, CO1 week ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
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Massachusetts2 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
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