Pistons-Cavs forced to use air horn after malfunction causes delay
NBA games are usually decided by who puts the ball in the hoop the most, but on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, the biggest opponent wasn’t the player; it was a faulty buzzer. During the third quarter in between Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliersa sudden surge of electricity triggered a relentless, blaring siren that brought the action to a complete halt.
For nearly 20 minutes, players and fans sat in a bizarre limbo while arena technicians tried to silence the noise. The error didn’t just stop the sound; it wiped out the game clocks and shot clocks, forcing the officiating crew to take more manual action.
To keep the game going, the arena staff eventually resorted to using a hand-held air horn to signal the end of possession and the end of the quarter. It was a scene more reminiscent of a local recreational league than a professional NBA environment, but the officials had to make it work.
Siren delay? š£
That’s what’s happening right now in Cavs-Pistons š
(via @omarisankofa)pic.twitter.com/D4KVk9G2HL
ā ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 28, 2026
2026-02-28 02:37:00
