DETROIT — Kevin Love made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 37.9 seconds left in overtime and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 115-112 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.
On a tumultuous day for the Cleveland organization, the Cavaliers rallied from a 13-point third-quarter deficit and fought their way to an eventual win. Tristan Thompson scored a career-high 35 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Cavs. Rookie Darius Garland added 20 points, Collin Sexton chipped in with 19, and Love finished with 17 points and 9 rebounds.
With the score tied at 110, Love got open in the left corner and connected from long range to put the Cavaliers ahead to stay. Thompson got free for a dunk with 16.7 seconds remaining to push the lead to five
Cleveland coach John Beilein said earlier Thursday that he'd apologized for his comments during a film session the previous day. ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported that Beilein suggested during a Wednesday film session his players were no longer playing “like a bunch of thugs.” Beilein said he meant to say “slugs” in reference to the team's effort level.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, following an emotional meeting with the team at shootaround, Beilein will remain the head coach of the Cavs for their matchup with the Detroit Pistons on Thursday and beyond.