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Pistons-Cavs forced to use air horn after malfunction causes delay
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- Pistons-Cavs forced to use air horn after malfunction causes delay
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NBA games are usually decided by whoever puts the ball in the hoop most often, but on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, the biggest opponent was not a player; it was a malfunctioning buzzer. During a third-quarter stretch between the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers , a sudden power surge triggered a relentless, blaring horn that brought the action to a screeching halt.
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For nearly 20 minutes, players and fans sat in a bizarre limbo as arena technicians scrambled to silence the noise. The glitch did more than just stop the sound; it wiped out the game clocks and the shot clocks, forcing the officiating crew to take more manual measures.
To keep the game moving, the arena staff eventually resorted to using a handheld air horn to signal the end of possessions and quarters. It was a scene more reminiscent of a local rec league than a professional NBA environment, but the officials had to make it work.
Despite the "street ball" atmosphere, the stakes remain incredibly high. The Detroit Pistons entered the night at 43-14, looking to tighten their grip on the top seed in the East. They currently hold a slim lead in a game that has become a total defensive grind. Jalen Duren has been a monster in the paint for Detroit, capitalizing on a Cleveland Cavaliers frontcourt that is working overtime.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are fighting uphill without their primary star power. Donovan Mitchell is sidelined with a groin strain, and the team just announced that James Harden is out after fracturing his right thumb. In their absence, Evan Mobley has stepped up as a playmaker, keeping Cleveland within striking distance despite the lack of a functioning scoreboard.
As we head into the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, the score is sitting at a tense 96-91 in favor of the Cavaliers, but with the way this night has gone, anything can happen.
Between the manual air horn blasts and the lack of a game clock, this game is officially off the rails. One thing is for sure: whoever walks away with the win tonight will have earned it in the strangest environment of the season.
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