A clear pattern has defined the opening phase of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons second-round postseason series: every contest through three has been won by the side holding home court advantage. Detroit claimed the first two at home before Cleveland answered on Saturday, May 9, pulling the series to 2-1. The two sides meet again Monday, May 11, at Rocket Mortgage Arena in Cleveland, with tip-off set for 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
How the Series Has Unfolded
Detroit opened the series with consecutive victories on their home floor - 111-101 on May 5 and 107-97 on May 7 - putting Cleveland in an early two-game deficit. Cleveland responded on Saturday with a 116-109 result on their own floor, keeping the series alive and reinforcing the home-floor pattern that has defined every result so far.
Monday's Game 4 carries considerable weight for Cleveland. A second consecutive home result would level the series at 2-2 and reset the competitive dynamic entirely heading back to Detroit. A Detroit win, by contrast, would put them one result away from advancing, with two of the next three possible contests on their home floor.
Where and How to Watch Game 4
The broadcast rights for Monday's contest sit with NBC, making it one of the more accessible postseason broadcasts in terms of viewing options. NBC is carried across all major live television streaming platforms, and the game will also stream directly on Peacock, NBCUniversal's subscription platform. Peacock offers two paid tiers:
- Peacock Premium - $11 per month, includes live NBC programming and the full Peacock content library
- Peacock Premium Plus - $17 per month, adds additional features including local NBC feed access across all 210 U.S. markets
For viewers who prefer a broader live television package, DIRECTV remains a strong option. Its MySports plan, priced at $65 per month following a five-day free trial, includes NBC along with a wide range of cable and sports-focused channels - among them ESPN, TNT, TBS, NBA TV, NFL Network, and several conference-specific networks. An optional MyHome Team add-on, available for an additional $20 per month, extends coverage to include local regional sports networks. DIRECTV's trial is unconditional, offered to all new subscribers regardless of timing or promotional eligibility, which makes it a straightforward option for viewers who want to evaluate the service before committing.
Fubo is another live streaming option that includes NBC, though its free trial terms are less transparent. The service offers at minimum a one-day trial, with the possibility of up to seven days depending on undisclosed qualifying factors - a complication worth bearing in mind when signing up close to a broadcast.
Watching From Outside Your Home Market
Viewers traveling internationally or outside their normal viewing area can use a virtual private network to maintain access to their existing streaming subscriptions. A VPN routes your connection through a server in a location of your choosing, allowing the platform to register your account as active within a licensed broadcast region. This does not substitute for a subscription - an active account with a qualifying service remains necessary - but it resolves geographic access issues that would otherwise block the stream.
ExpressVPN is widely regarded as a reliable choice for this purpose, offering servers across more than 100 countries, strong encryption standards, and a 30-day refund policy. Current pricing starts at approximately $5 per month. For those prioritizing cost or security differently, NordVPN starts at around $3.09 per month, Surfshark at approximately $2.50 per month, and Proton VPN offers a functional free tier for users with lighter streaming needs.
What Comes Next
The full series schedule through a potential seven contests is set, though Games 5 through 7 carry broadcast and tip-off times still listed as to be determined. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, in Detroit. If the series extends, Games 6 and 7 would return to Cleveland on May 15 and head back to Detroit on May 17, respectively - both contingent on the series requiring them. Monday's result at Rocket Mortgage Arena will do much to clarify whether those later dates come into play.
