LeBron James provided the bulk of the scoring with 25 points for the Cavaliers, but it was guard Daniel Gibson who sparked the home side with 21 points off the bench.

Guards Chauncey Billups (23 points) and Richard Hamilton (19 points) led the Pistons in the scoring department, but Rasheed Wallace (nine points) and Chris Webber (two points) were well held.

Drew Gooden netted 10 of his 19 points in the opening term as the Cavaliers jumped out to a 26-22 lead at quarter-time.

The Pistons scored the first seven points of the second quarter to claim the lead, but James and Gibson upped the ante to make sure the Cavaliers took a healthy 50-43 lead into the main break.

Pistons coach Flip Saunders gave Antonio McDyess more court time in the third quarter and the big man didn't let his team down as he nailed eight of his 12 points to give the Pistons a 67-65 lead at the final change.

When Wallace hit a jumper with a little over seven minutes remaining in the match to give the Pistons a 77-74 lead it looked like the Cavaliers were in a spot of bother.

But Gooden and James took over down the stretch as the Cavaliers re-claimed the lead and registered the victory.

With the series all tied up, both teams will head back to Detroit for game five in the best of seven series to be held on Friday (AEST).

NBA RESULTS
Cleveland Cavaliers 91 Detroit Pistons 87