CLEVELAND -- The Detroit Pistons went so long between victories, they were starting to forget what winning felt like.
Now they are one of just three teams in the league to score multiple victories against the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.
Guard Reggie Jackson scored 23 points, and center Andre Drummond had 16 points and 15 rebounds in the Pistons' 96-88 win Monday night that ended their five-game losing streak. Since that skid spanned the All-Star break, it marked Detroit's first victory since Feb. 4.
"It had been a long time since we got a win," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It feels good to get it, but it's also the best we've played since the Golden State game."
The Pistons beat the Warriors by 18 at home last month, but they are just 6-11 since. One night after New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis scored 59 points and grabbed 20 rebounds against them, the Pistons harassed Cleveland forward LeBron James into one of his toughest nights of the season.
James matched his season-low with 12 points and committed six turnovers as the Cavs' five-game winning streak ended. Cleveland played one of its finest games of the season Sunday to hand the Oklahoma City Thunder their worst loss, then followed it up 24 hours later with a lethargic performance.
"We lacked energy, starting with myself, all the way down to everybody else," James said.
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue debated resting James after he exerted so much energy in Sunday's win against the Thunder, but elected to play him. James didn't reach double figures until sinking a pair of free throws with 6:50 left in the game, narrowly extending his streak to 695 consecutive games scoring in double figures.
"I should have went with my gut," Lue said, "but I didn't do it."
Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 19 points, including a big steal from James that he capped by driving the length of the floor for a basket to put the Pistons up 10 late. Forward Tobias Harris scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds in his first start with his new team.
Cavs forward Kevin Love scored 24 points, including 14 in the first quarter. Guard Kyrie Irving scored 30 points after missing most of Sunday's game with what the team deemed flu-like symptoms but what Irving said was bed bugs.
Irving said he slept about three hours the night before the Thunder game and he even pointed out a bite on his forehead. He said he spent much of the night on the couch in his hotel room because of the problem and woke up with a tight back, then became nauseous from the ordeal during the game. He left in the first quarter Sunday and did not return.
"Just imagine how freaked out you'd be if you saw friggin' five, big (expletive) bed bugs just sitting on your pillow," Irving said. "I woke up itching, and I'm just looking around and I'm like, 'Are you serious right now?' It was 3 a.m. and I was so tired at that point."
The Cavs scored the last 10 points of the third quarter Monday after holding the Pistons scoreless over the final 4:56, trimming Detroit's lead to 75-68 entering the fourth. Harris and forward Stanley Johnson countered with consecutive 3-pointers to open the fourth for the Pistons, who eventually built the lead back to 18 before the Cavs made a late push.
"I think we've been resilient. We haven't gotten our heads down," Jackson said. "We just came out and battled."
The win capped a strange day for the Pistons that included overturning a trade with the Houston Rockets from last week. Forward Donatas Motiejunas and guard Marcus Thornton were returned to the Rockets after Motiejunas failed his physical. Center Joel Anthony will return to the Pistons.
"It's disappointing because we saw the possibilities with Donatas, but I'd do it over again," Van Gundy said. "We did our due diligence and thought it was too much of a risk."
NOTES: Detroit F Anthony Tolliver will miss two to four weeks with a sprained right knee. He was hurt colliding with Pistons C Andre Drummond on Sunday. ... Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said there are no immediate plans to fill the team's one open roster spot. ... C Joel Anthony is expected to rejoin the Pistons in time for Wednesday's home game against the 76ers. "I've never been through a situation like this," Van Gundy said. ... Cavs G Mo Williams will visit Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday for a second opinion on his ailing left knee. The knee has been bothering him throughout the season, and an injection in December didn't seem to help, he said. ... Cleveland G Iman Shumpert missed his second game with a sprained left shoulder.
