NBA game delayed due to technical malfunction as horn blares for 13 minutes straight

The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers had to woody with a precise noisy disruption during the Pistons’ 122-119 overtime triumph connected Friday astatine Little Caesars Arena.

During a timeout, with the Pistons up 65-64, the horn sounded to awesome that the teams should instrumentality to play. The contented was that the horn blared for 13 consecutive minutes, causing the crippled to beryllium delayed.

The horn’s continuous dependable occurred aft a powerfulness surge caused the overhead scoreboard to malfunction. The horn yet ceased erstwhile the arena unit unopen down the overhead scoreboard, and the assemblage cheered.

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Cleveland Cavaliers defender Donovan Mitchell (left) talks with teammate James Harden during a timeout against the Detroit Pistons successful the 2nd fractional astatine Little Caesars Arena. Neither played successful the Cavaliers’ overtime nonaccomplishment to the Pistons successful Detroit, Michigan, connected Feb. 27, 2026. (Lon Horwedel/Imagn Images)

While the horn malfunctioned, the scoreboard and timepiece supra the baskets reset to zero. After 18 minutes, play resumed. The scoring unit utilized a manual airhorn erstwhile play resumed, and the overhead scoreboard was black.

The officials brought Pistons manager J.B. Bickerstaff and Cavaliers manager Kenny Atkinson to midcourt for a little treatment earlier announcing the crippled would resume without the main scoreboard. However, moments aft the crippled got backmost underway, the scoreboard came backmost on.

Cleveland Cavaliers caput manager Kenny Atkinson argues with an authoritative successful the archetypal fractional of their crippled against the Detroit Pistons astatine Little Caesars Arena successful Detroit, Michigan, connected Feb. 27, 2026. (Lon Horwedel/Imagn Images)

Because of the hold and overtime, the crippled lasted 3 hours and 22 minutes.

Cleveland — which volition big Detroit connected Tuesday nighttime — led by 9 points with 2:44 near successful regulation, and Cade Cunningham fouled retired with 1:56 to play. But the Pistons outscored the Cavaliers 16-7 to unit overtime.

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Detroit Pistons caput manager J.B. Bickerstaff shouts directions to his squad during the 2nd fractional of an NBA crippled against the Cleveland Cavaliers successful Detroit, Michigan, connected Feb. 27, 2026. (Duane Burleson/AP Photo)

Cade Cunningham had 25 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists for East-leading Detroit earlier fouling out. Jalen Duren had 33 points and 16 rebounds for the Pistons successful the win.

Jarrett Allen had 25 points and 9 rebounds for Cleveland, which played its 2nd consecutive crippled without James Harden (thumb) and Donovan Mitchell (groin). Evan Mobley had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Sam Merrill added 20 points.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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