NBA Recap: Key Wins for Cavs, Spurs, and Thunder

Cavs upset Pistons

Cleveland Cavaliers stun Detroit Pistons 113-109, while San Antonio Spurs crush Philadelphia 76ers 131-91. Oklahoma City Thunder beat Chicago Bulls, LA Lakers narrowly defeat New Orleans Pelicans.

“Just throw bodies at him, try to wear him down...”

Cavaliers Upset Pistons — Intro 

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a stunning 113-109 upset against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, despite missing star point guard Donovan Mitchell due to injury. Jaylon Tyson led the charge with 22 points, while James Harden and Evan Mobley added 18 points each, securing a thrilling win for the Cavs at home.

CAVS WIN! @getgo | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/N9a5rDLxX9

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 4, 2026

Spurs Dominate 76ers — Intro

In another exciting matchup, the San Antonio Spurs demolished the Philadelphia 76ers 131-91, with Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper scoring 22 points each. The Spurs' impressive performance extended their winning streak to 8-1 on their annual rodeo road trip.

Cleveland took the lead early in the second quarter and held on thanks to solid defense.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said, “It's a good win, not perfect by any means, but we'll take it,” acknowledging room for improvement.

Jalen Duren top-scored for Detroit with 24 points, but Cade Cunningham struggled, scoring just 10 points under Cleveland's tough defense.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson praised his team's approach to Cunningham: “Just throw bodies at him, try to wear him down, contest everything and try to keep him off the free throw line.”

Detroit remained Eastern Conference leaders at 45-15, despite the loss, holding a 4.5-game lead over second-placed Boston.

Cleveland's win bumped them up to fourth in the East, with a 39-24 record. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs crushed the Philadelphia 76ers 131-91, showcasing their impressive all-round game.

Sixers fans started heading out early as San Antonio pulled away, building a 49-point lead by the end of Q3.

Closing out the Rodeo Road Trip with a dub! 🥳@FrostBank | #sponsored pic.twitter.com/zAJPLnaFiJ

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 4, 2026

Eight Spurs players hit double figures, led by Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper with 22 points each

“It wasn't any amazing individual performance, it was just team play,” said San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, who contributed 10 points.

“When we're locked in, when we feel like this as a team, I think we're the best team in the world,” Wembanyama added.

Oklahoma City Thunder beat Chicago Bulls 116-108 on the road, extending their Western Conference lead.

Depth on full display 📊 pic.twitter.com/yF9c2CECxY

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 4, 2026

The Thunder now lead San Antonio by three games at the top. Meanwhile, LA Lakers narrowly beat struggling New Orleans Pelicans 110-101.

The Lakers and Pelicans had a wild game, with 18 lead changes before LA pulled away with a 24-7 run in Q4.

Luka Doncic led with 27 points, LeBron James added 21, and the Lakers improved to 37-24, staying 6th in the West.

Got it done in the clutch pic.twitter.com/0lPbShmpFX

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 4, 2026

Anthony Edwards scored 41 points, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 117-110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Minneapolis. Julius Randle added 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaden McDaniels had 16 points. Edwards' impressive performance included 15-of-29 shooting and 7-of-13 from 3-point range, earning him MVP chants from the crowd. 

Read Also: NBA Recap: Celtics Throttle Bucks in Giannis' Return, Trae Young Ejected Before Playing for Wizards

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks dominated the Toronto Raptors 111-95 in Toronto.