The Cleveland Cavaliers are now on the verge of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals after edging the Detroit Pistons 117-115 in overtime Wednesday night.
Donovan Mitchell delivered in overtime, scoring seven of his 21 points during the extra session. Mitchell had a difficult shooting night overall, hitting just one of eight attempts from beyond the arc and managing only two points in the third quarter before stepping up late.
Detroit controlled much of the first half and built a lead that reached 15 points. The Pistons’ aggressive defense forced 10 turnovers before halftime, converting them into 20 points. Cade Cunningham led the charge with 20 first-half points on efficient shooting, while Detroit briefly caught fire offensively by making eight consecutive shots in the second quarter. Even so, Cleveland stayed within striking distance and trailed by only eight at the break.
The momentum shifted after halftime. Cleveland dominated the third quarter, outscoring Detroit 32-20 to take its first real control of the game. James Harden fueled the turnaround with nine points in the period, while Evan Mobley capped the surge with a late three-pointer that pushed the Cavaliers ahead by four entering the final quarter.
The back-and-forth battle continued late in regulation. Detroit regained the lead before Cleveland answered again, tying the game after another Mobley three and two clutch free throws. The Cavaliers had an opportunity to win before the buzzer, but Ausar Thompson blocked Mitchell from behind, sending the contest into overtime.
Cleveland wasted little time taking over in the extra period. Jarrett Allen opened overtime with a put-back dunk, and Mitchell followed with a short jumper. Moments later, Mitchell buried his lone three-pointer of the night before converting a layup off a Max Strus steal, quickly extending the Cavaliers’ lead to seven. Detroit attempted to rally, but Cleveland held on to secure the narrow win.
Cunningham finished with a game-high 39 points while adding nine assists and six rebounds in his best scoring performance of the series. Ron Holland II contributed 19 points, and Tobias Harris added 13 for Detroit.
Harden paced Cleveland with 30 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while Mitchell added 21. Max Strus provided a strong spark with 20 points and eight rebounds off the bench, and Mobley nearly posted a triple-double with 19 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
The victory gave Cleveland a 3-2 advantage in the series and marked the team’s third straight win — along with its first road victory of the matchup at Little Caesars Arena. A win at home on Friday would send the Cavaliers to the conference finals for the first time since 2018.
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