Harden delivers, Detroit collapses late: “The series isn’t over”
Cleveland stormed back late and beat Detroit in overtime: down nine with under three minutes left, the Cavaliers completed a comeback that gives them a 3-2 series lead. James Harden, Max Strus, and Donovan Mitchell were the difference-makers
The Cleveland Cavaliers grabbed a massive Game 5 win in the Eastern Conference semifinals, defeating the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime to take a 3-2 lead in the series. A game that looked firmly in Detroit’s hands turned into one of the biggest comebacks of the postseason.
Detroit led by nine points with less than three minutes remaining, but Cleveland flipped everything with a 9-0 run to close regulation before finishing the job in overtime.
For the Cavaliers, it was also their first road win of these playoffs after an ugly 0-5 mark away from home entering the game.
The finish says a lot about our progress. The growth in our mental toughness is obvious… these guys never quit
Kenny Atkinson
An ESPN Analytics stat made the collapse even clearer: when Detroit led by nine late, the Pistons had a 96.8% win probability. Instead, Cleveland closed the game on a combined 23-10 run across the fourth quarter and overtime.
Donovan Mitchell also praised the group’s mental resilience:
It’s about mental toughness. We knew we could draw from the experiences of the earlier games in the series. We’ve already been through situations like this
Donovan Mitchell
Huge impact also came from James Harden – answering Shaq’s criticism on the court – as he finished with 30 points, 6 assists, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks, delivering his best playoff performance in a Cavaliers uniform. A historic note: Harden became the first player ever to score at least one 30-point playoff game with six different franchises.
Everything is new for me. I’ve only been here two and a half months. Everything we’re going through is new. I’m learning how to be a second option next to a playoff-level Donovan Mitchell, understanding when to be aggressive when he’s rolling and when to be the playmaker
James Harden
Also crucial was Max Strus, the true surprise factor off the bench: 20 points, 8 rebounds, and six huge three-pointers. Late in the game, he also played a key role in slowing down Cade Cunningham, who still finished with 39 points and 9 assists.
Harden specifically praised Strus afterward:
It’s not just what you see in the box score. One night he might not score much, but he always finds a way to impact the game. He defends, competes, and then comes back and scores
Max Strus
Cleveland will now have the chance to close out the series at home in Game 6. If not, everything would come down to a potential Game 7 in Detroit.
The series isn’t over. It’s only 3-2. Yeah, we won a big road game, but we have to protect our home floor
Donovan Mitchell
At stake is a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks.