Cleveland Cavaliers Equalize Series with Dynamic Performance by Donovan Mitchell
The Cleveland Cavaliers have leveled their second-round series, thanks to a remarkable performance by Donovan Mitchell in the second half. Mitchell delivered an impressive 39 points in the last two quarters, leading the Cavaliers to a 112-103 victory on Monday night.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson commented on the pivotal shift, saying, “What a shift, right? Really struggled in the first half and then big-time, second-half performance by Don.” The series will continue in Detroit with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday night.
Matching a record set by Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, Mitchell tied an NBA playoff mark with a free throw just 27.6 seconds before the end. Despite missing a subsequent free throw that could have broken the record from the 1987 series between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers, Mitchell finished the game with a total of 43 points.
“Everybody let me know that I missed a free throw to break the record, though,” Mitchell stated. “I will say that, but we’re two and two headed to Detroit. That was what we came home to do and that’s all that matters.”
James Harden contributed significantly with his 40th playoff double-double, scoring 24 points and providing 11 assists. Evan Mobley added 17 points, helping maintain Cleveland’s unbeaten home record in the playoffs.
For Detroit, Caris LeVert achieved a season-high 24 points, while Cade Cunningham scored 19, marking the first time he has been held under 20 in 11 playoff games this season. Tobias Harris supported with 16 points.
The Pistons’ coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, expressed dissatisfaction with the free throw discrepancy, as Mitchell had more attempts (15) than the entire Detroit team (12). “There is no way one guy on their team should have more free throws than our team. We’re not a settling for jump shots team,” he remarked. “We didn’t do enough to help ourselves, but ever since we came to Cleveland, the whistle has changed.”
Despite struggling initially, with the Cavaliers shooting 15 out of 38 attempts and a majority being 3-pointers, the team felt fortunate to be trailing only 56-52 at halftime. Coach Atkinson urged his team to enhance their pace and attack, which ultimately paid off.
During a decisive 24-0 run lasting from the final 12 seconds of the first half to the first six minutes of the third quarter, Mitchell scored 15 points. This surge, which included going 10 of 12 from the field and converting three 3-pointers, allowed the Cavaliers to seize control. The team capitalized on five Pistons turnovers to score nine points.
Reflecting on the run, Cunningham noted, “When (Mitchell) sees a gap, he’s going to go. We’ve got to eliminate his touches and catches on the run. That run, we just never caught our footing again. That was the first time they really got loose in the series.”
This 24-0 run was the longest seen in an NBA playoff game since Minnesota’s similar feat in the 2024 Western Conference semifinals against Denver. It represents Cleveland’s longest playoff streak since detailed play-by-play statistics began in the 1997-98 season, surpassing a previous high of 19 against Boston in an Eastern semifinal.
Mitchell and Harden combined for a total of 49 points each, accounting for their personal scores and points generated from assists. Mobley was crucial on both ends, achieving eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and five blocked shots.
Atkinson praised Mobley’s efforts, saying, “Don’s going to get all the flowers, but we should give a lot of flowers to Mobley for tonight’s performance.”
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