DETROIT >> Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a season-high 32 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers 133-122 on Friday night to guarantee their first winning season since 2016.

Detroit withstood a 38-point performance by Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, who scored 22 in the fourth quarter.

The Pistons (42-32) played without Cade Cunningham (calf) and were still able to end a 12-game losing streak against Cleveland.

Dennis Schroder started for Cunningham and had 16 points and 10 assists. Jalen Duren added 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Ausur Thompson contributed 18 points and 10 boards for Detroit, which failed to win 25 games in the last five seasons.

The Pistons have eight regular-season games remaining. With three more wins, Detroit could reach 45 victories for the first time since going 59-23 in 2007-08 — also the last season it won a playoff game.

Darius Garland had 21 points for Cleveland, which hadn’t lost to the Pistons since Feb. 24, 2022, when current Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was in charge of the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers trailed 108-89 with 8:56 to play and closed within 119-117 on Mitchell’s 3-pointer with 3:31 left. Detroit answered with a 12-1 run to close out the win.

Clippers 132, Nets 100 >> Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points and Los Angeles overwhelmed Brooklyn for the Clippers’ second straight victory and 10th in 12 games as they fight to hold on to sixth place in the Western Conference.

Leonard was 5 of 6 from 3-point range, 10 of 14 overall from the field and made all six of his free throws. He also had six rebounds, four steals and two blocks in just under 27 minutes.

Raptors 108, Hornets 97 >> Jakob Poeltl had 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead Toronto to its third straight win, a victory over Charlotte.

Immanuel Quickley scored 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting, including 5 for 8 from 3-point distance, and added nine assists.

Mark Williams had 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as Charlotte lost its fourth straight game. DaQuan Jeffries added 15 points.

The Raptors used a 10-point run to take a 20-12 lead in the first quarter. Poeltl led the way with 12 points in the first half for Toronto, which led 49-47 at the break.

Timberwolves 124, Suns 109 >> Julius Randle scored 25 points, Anthony Edwards finished with 20 after missing the second quarter due to injury and Minnesota beat Phoenix.

The Timberwolves completed a four-game season sweep of the Suns. Minnesota has won its last seven against Phoenix, dating to last year’s postseason.

Knicks 116, Bucks 107 >> O.G. Anunoby scored 20 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and New York defeated Milwaukee to hand the Bucks their third consecutive loss.

Mikal Bridges added 26 points for the Knicks, who took the lead for good less than four minutes into the game. Josh Hart had 13 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Nuggets 129, Jazz 93 >> Nikola Jokic had 27 points and 14 rebounds before sitting the fourth quarter and Denver beat Utah to pad its lead in the fight for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

Denver leads the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies by two games. The Nuggets trail Houston by 1 1/2 games for the second seed.