The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons 112-103 on Tuesday night, evening the Eastern Conference semifinal series at 2-2 after trailing 0-2. The Cavaliers successfully defended their home court in Games 3 and 4, pushing the series to a pivotal Game 5. There will be no sweep in this matchup.
After falling behind 0-2, many believed the Eastern Conference semifinals could produce two 4-0 sweeps. But the Cavaliers had other plans. In Game 4, with just over two minutes left in garbage time, both teams pulled their starters. However, the Pistons’ bench unit went on a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to single digits, forcing the Cavaliers to reinsert their key players to secure the victory.
Despite the late-game hiccup, the Cavaliers’ win was well-deserved. The first half was tightly contested, but the third quarter changed everything. Just four minutes into the period, the Cavaliers unleashed a 23-0 run, setting an NBA playoff record for the longest scoring streak in a quarter. The Pistons didn’t score their first points of the third until fewer than six minutes remained. As noted earlier, the Pistons’ biggest flaw is their inconsistent offense, a pattern seen in their series against Orlando. However, the Cavaliers’ explosive run was unexpected, especially considering star guard Donovan Mitchell shot just 1-of-8 in the first half, including 1-of-5 from three, for only four points, three rebounds, and two assists.
But Mitchell came alive in the third quarter. He opened the period by scoring eight straight points, turning a four-point deficit into a four-point lead. Mitchell didn’t stop there—he went on to score 21 points in the quarter on 8-of-9 shooting. The Pistons had no answer for him. Mitchell rested after playing just over seven minutes in the third, and the Pistons finally found some rhythm once he sat. With that performance, Mitchell recorded his fifth career playoff quarter with 20+ points, surpassing LeBron James and tying Stephen Curry and Jamal Murray for the most in history. Scoring 39 points in the second half after managing just four in the first half, Mitchell proved he is built for the postseason.
James Harden also stepped up for the Cavaliers. Playing 37 minutes, Harden shot 5-of-14 from the field, all five makes being three-pointers, and went 9-of-9 from the free-throw line for 24 points, 11 assists, and four steals with only two turnovers. While Mitchell struggled early, Harden kept the Cavaliers afloat, scoring 11 of his 24 points in the first five minutes. His strong form carried over from Game 3.
On the other side, Pistons star Cade Cunningham struggled, playing 39 minutes but shooting 7-of-16 for 19 points, six assists, three rebounds, and five turnovers. As discussed before the series, if Harden controls his turnovers, the Cavaliers have a good chance to win. The same applies to Cunningham—if he takes care of the ball, the Pistons are dangerous. But today, his performance fell short.
Despite Cunningham’s struggles, the Pistons got boosts from two surprise contributors: Caris LeVert and Naz Reid. LeVert scored 17 points in the first half on 7-of-12 shooting and finished with 24 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 10-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three. Reid added 15 points and four rebounds on an efficient 7-of-9 from the field, stepping up during the Pistons’ third-quarter scoring drought.
Ultimately, this series has become a battle of backcourt stability. Both teams are playing with their cards on the table, and whichever star guard can stay consistent will come out on top.