The Cleveland Cavaliers secured a gritty 117-113 overtime victory against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, moving just one win away from a return to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Behind a masterful 30-point performance from veteran James Harden, Cleveland erased a 15-point first-half deficit to claim their first road win of the postseason. The victory gives the Cavaliers a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, with a chance to clinch on their home floor this Friday.
”Great time to have a first road win,” Harden told ESPN following the match.
The contest was a game of momentum swings. Despite Cleveland’s third-quarter rally, Detroit appeared to seize control in the final minutes of regulation with a 12-0 run, leading by nine with under four minutes to play. However, Evan Mobley triggered a crucial 13-0 surge—spanning the end of the fourth and the start of overtime—to put the Cavs ahead permanently.
Cade Cunningham delivered a stellar 39-point effort for the Pistons, but his late-game jump shot in the extra period wasn’t enough to bridge the gap. Cleveland’s balanced attack saw Donovan Mitchell chip in 21 points, while Max Strus provided a 20-point spark off the bench.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson credited the mid-season acquisition of the 36-year-old Harden for the team’s newfound resilience under pressure.
”Big reason we got him, that’s what we expected. He adds a maturity and a poise, calmness to our group, which we needed.”
The Pistons now face a must-win Game 6 in Cleveland to keep their season alive and force a deciding Game 7 back in Detroit. The winner of this series will move on to face the New York Knicks in the next round.