JAMES Harden delivered a playoff-best 30 points and Donovan Mitchell added 21 as the Cleveland Cavaliers erased a late nine-point deficit to beat the Detroit Pistons, 117-113, in overtime on Thursday, May 14, 2026 (PH time) and move one win away from the Eastern Conference finals, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Cleveland grabbed a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series after rallying from a 103-94 deficit with just over two minutes left in regulation. Evan Mobley tied the game at 103-all with a pair of free throws with 45.2 seconds remaining.
“That stretch right there says a lot about our progress — mental performance progress and mental toughness progress,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson told AP.
The Pistons appeared headed for victory after leading by as many as 15 points in the first half, but Cleveland responded with a 13-0 run spanning the end of regulation and the start of overtime. Detroit went scoreless for five minutes during that stretch.
Mitchell’s three-pointer with 2:39 left in overtime gave the Cavaliers a seven-point cushion.
Cade Cunningham kept Detroit within striking distance, finishing with 39 points and nine assists. He trimmed the deficit to two with a jumper with 25 seconds remaining.
Harden then split a pair of free throws, grabbed his own rebound off the missed second attempt and converted another free throw on the next possession to help seal the victory.
Just before the end of regulation, Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen and Detroit’s Ausar Thompson got tangled up while chasing a loose ball, but no foul was called.
“He fouled Ausar — clearly,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said in the AP report. “He tripped him when he was going for a loose ball.”
Game 6 will be played Saturday in Cleveland, where the fourth-seeded Cavaliers will try to close out the series and advance to face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals. If Detroit wins, the top-seeded Pistons will host Game 7 on Monday.
According to AP, the Cavaliers earned their first road win of the series and their first postseason victory away from home this year. Detroit had previously won four straight home playoff games since nearly being eliminated by Orlando in Game 5 of the first round.
Harden also contributed eight rebounds and six assists, while Max Strus buried six three-pointers and finished with 20 points. Mobley added 19 points and Allen chipped in 16 markers and 10 rebounds.
“It wasn’t our best night offensively, but I think that’s what speaks volumes to getting this win was we found a way,” Strus said in the AP report.
Daniss Jenkins, starting in place of the injured Duncan Robinson, scored 19 points for Detroit. Tobias Harris struggled offensively, making just six of 19 shots for 13 points, while Jalen Duren was held to nine notches and five rebounds. / LBG
