|
(Photo
by
Montez
Miller/Tell
Us USA
News
Network) |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Cavaliers
Outlast
Pistons
in OT,
Take 3–2
Series
Lead
Willis
Jones -
Sports
Tell Us
Detroit
News
Bureau
DETROIT
— The
Pistons
let a
late
lead
slip
away
Wednesday
night at
Little
Caesars
Arena,
falling
117–113
in
overtime
to the
Cleveland
Cavaliers
and
dropping
to the
brink of
elimination
in their
second
round
series.
The Cavs
now lead
3–2
heading
back to
Cleveland.
Detroit
led by
as many
as nine
in the
fourth
quarter,
but
Cleveland
forced
overtime
at
103–103
and
controlled
the
extra
period,
outscoring
the
Pistons
14–10 to
close
out the
win.
Head
coach
J.B.
Bickerstaff
said the
shift
came
when
Detroit
slowed
down
offensively:
“We
slowed
our
tempo
down… we
had
success
when we
got out
in
transition,”
he said.
Cunningham
Shines,
but Cavs
Make the
Final
Plays
Cade
Cunningham
delivered
one of
the best
playoff
performances
of his
career,
finishing
with 39
points,
nine
assists,
seven
rebounds
and two
steals.
His
scoring
average
now
leads
all
postseason
players
at 30.0
points
per
game.
Rookie
guard
Daniss
Jenkins,
making
his
first
playoff
start,
added 19
points
and said
the team
let a
winnable
game
slip
away:
“We
weren’t
supposed
to go to
overtime…
We can’t
lose
that
lead.”
Ausar
Thompson
continued
his
historic
defensive
postseason
with
four
steals
and
three
blocks,
joining
Ben
Wallace,
Andre
Drummond
and
Rasheed
Wallace
as the
only
Pistons
to post
20+
steals
and 20+
blocks
in a
single
playoff
run.
Paul
Reed
provided
a spark
off the
bench
with 10
points,
eight
rebounds
and two
blocks.
Bickerstaff
praised
him as a
“run
stopper.”
Harden,
Mobley
and
Strus
Lift
Cleveland
James
Harden
led
Cleveland
with 30
points,
eight
rebounds,
six
assists
and
three
blocks,
marking
his 50th
career
30 point
playoff
game.
Donovan
Mitchell
scored
21,
including
seven in
overtime,
while
Max
Strus
added 20
points
and
eight
rebounds
off the
bench.
Cavs
coach
Kenny
Atkinson
called
the win
a
testament
to the
team’s
growth:
“We just
made big
plays…
That was
a battle
tested
win
against
a heck
of a
team on
the
road.”
Numbers
That
Told the
Story
• Points
in the
paint:
Detroit
48,
Cleveland
38
• Fast
break
points:
Detroit
23,
Cleveland
7
•
Turnovers
forced:
Detroit
16,
converted
into 27
points
•
Shooting:
Cleveland
45% FG,
40% 3PT;
Detroit
44.2%
FG,
33.3%
3PT
• Free
throws:
Detroit
18–20
(90%),
Cleveland
28–31
(81.6%)
Series
Shifts
Back to
Cleveland
Despite
the
emotional
loss,
the
Pistons
stressed
belief.
Center
Jalen
Duren,
who did
not play
in the
fourth
or
overtime,
said the
team’s
resilience
remains
intact:
“We’re
still
alive…
If
anybody
could do
it, we
could do
it.”
Game 6
is set
for
Cleveland,
where
the
Pistons
will try
to force
a
decisive
Game 7
back in
Detroit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I
HI TECH NEWS
I
SPORTS
I
