Cavaliers vs. Pistons Playoffs Comparison: Summary and Year by Year
Here you can compare, side by side, the all-time postseason performance of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons, and how far these two NBA teams advanced in Playoffs each year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been present in the NBA Playoffs 25 times in 56 seasons while the Detroit Pistons did it 43 times in their 78 seasons. Between the two they total 4 of the 79 NBA championships (5.1%).
They have faced each other in 4 playoff series, 3 of them won by the Cavaliers and 1 by the Pistons.
On this page, after a summary of their Playoff history (with championships won, playoff appearances and all-time records), you can see, side by side, how far the Cavaliers and the Pistons advanced in the postseason each year. Also, if they met that year, a note with details of the outcome of the series.
Summary of Their Playoff History | ||
Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons | |
| Playoff Appearances: | 25 (45.5%) | 43 (55.8%) |
| Playoffs Missed: | 30 (54.5%) | 34 (44.2%) |
| NBA Titles: | 1  | 3 |
| Finals Lost: | 4 | 4 |
| All-time Playoff Record: | 136 wins 119 losses (.533) | 190 wins 186 losses (.505) |
| Total NBA Seasons: | 56 1970-71 to present | 78 1948-49 to present |
Head-to-Head in Playoffs | ||
Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons | |
| Total Series | 4 Playoff Series | |
| Series Won | 3 2007, 2009, 2016 |
1 2006 |
Teams Comparison | ||
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons |
| 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| 2025 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 2024 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | DNQ |
| 2023 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | DNQ |
| 2022 | DNQ (lost Play-in) | DNQ |
| 2021 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2020 | DNQ | DNQ |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons | |||
| 2019 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2018 | Lost NBA Finals | DNQ | |||
| 2017 | Lost NBA Finals | DNQ | |||
| 2016 |  NBA Champions | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
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| 2015 | Lost NBA Finals | DNQ | |||
| 2014 | DNQ | DNQ | |||
| 2013 | DNQ | DNQ | |||
| 2012 | DNQ | DNQ | |||
| 2011 | DNQ | DNQ | |||
| 2010 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | DNQ | |||
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons | |||
| 2009 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
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| 2008 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| 2007 | Lost NBA Finals | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
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| 2006 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
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| 2005 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals | |||
| 2004 | DNQ | NBA Champions | |||
| 2003 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| 2002 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | |||
| 2001 | DNQ | DNQ | |||
| 2000 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons |
| 1999 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 1998 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | DNQ |
| 1997 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 1996 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 1995 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | DNQ |
| 1994 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | DNQ |
| 1993 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | DNQ |
| 1992 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 1991 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Finals |
| 1990 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons |
| 1989 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions |
| 1988 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1987 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Finals |
| 1986 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 1985 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Eastern Conference Semis |
| 1984 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 1983 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1982 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1981 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1980 | DNQ | DNQ |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons |
| 1979 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1978 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | DNQ |
| 1977 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1976 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1975 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1974 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1973 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1972 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1971 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1970 | - | DNQ |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons |
| 1969 | - | DNQ |
| 1968 | - | Lost Eastern Division Semis |
| 1967 | - | DNQ |
| 1966 | - | DNQ |
| 1965 | - | DNQ |
| 1964 | - | DNQ |
| 1963 | - | Lost Western Division Semis |
| 1962 | - | Lost Western Division Finals |
| 1961 | - | Lost Western Division Semis |
| 1960 | - | Lost Western Division Semis |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons |
| 1959 | - | Lost Western Division Semis |
| 1958 | - | Lost Western Division Finals |
| 1957 | - | Lost Western Division Semis (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| 1956 | - | Lost NBA Finals (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| 1955 | - | Lost NBA Finals (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| 1954 | - | Lost Western Division Round Robin (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| 1953 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| 1952 | - | Lost Western Division Semis (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| 1951 | - | Lost Western Division Semis (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| 1950 | - | Lost Central Division Finals (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons |
| 1949 | - | DNQ (as Fort Wayne Pistons) |
| 1948 | - | - |
| 1947 | - | - |