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The Detroit Pistons could taste a win, which would have put them one victory from the conference finals after a frenetic fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But the Cavs used a 9-0 run to close regulation, then scored the first four points of overtime and held off the Pistons on Wednesday, May 13, for a 117-113 victory in Game 5 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The 4-seed Cavs now have a 3-2 series lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals, winning three in a row. They can close out the 1-seed Pistons in Game 6 on Friday night in Cleveland.
Cade Cunningham scored a game-high 39 points.
The Pistons were on the wrong side of a controversial no-call to end regulation, when Ausar Thompson appeared to be tripped going for a loose ball by Jarrett Allen. The Cavs were over the foul limit, and Thompson would have shot free throws with roughly a second left. He made two free throws earlier in the quarter.
TRENDING: Was Ausar Thompson tripped by Jarrett Allen to end 4th? You decide
James Harden led the Cavs with 30 points and Max Strus hit six 3s off the bench for 20 points with eight rebounds. Donovan Mitchell was limited to 21 points on 7-for-18 shooting. He hit his only 3-pointer in overtime from the right corner.
Harden got his own miss off a free throw with 20 seconds left in overtime and the Cavs up 114-111, with Cunningham missing the assignment. Harden made the first and the Pistons missed multiple shots in the final seconds down four.
Daniss Jenkins (19 points) made his first playoff start in place of Duncan Robinson, ruled out before tipoff with back soreness.
Third-string center Paul Reed played over Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart in the fourth quarter and overtime. Caris LeVert also played down the stretch over Thompson at times.
“B-Ball Paul” checked into the game for the first time at the start of the fourth quarter and played the entire period over Duren, tallying four points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks. Reed remained in the game during overtime as well and scored the Pistons’ first four points of the extra period.
It marked the third-straight game the Pistons turned to Reed in the second half. He played over Duren for most of the third quarters in both Games 3 and 4, but Wednesday was his most-involved role yet as far as closing out a game. Duren finished with nine points, five rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes.
The Pistons led by as many as 15 in the first half after opening the second quarter with an 18-5 run. They made their first eight shots of the period, capped with a pair of midrange jumpers from Harris, followed by a steal by Jenkins and alley-oop lob to Thompson in transition, to give them a 47-32 lead at the 6:49 mark.
After scoring 20 points off of 10 Cavaliers turnovers in the first half, the Pistons lost momentum in the third as Cleveland cleaned up its ball control issues. After cutting the lead to eight at halftime, the Cavaliers opened the third with a 16-8 run to tie the game at 68.
A Sam Merrill 3-pointer with 1:59 on the clock gave the Cavaliers their first lead of the second half, 79-78. The Pistons trailed 84-80 entering the fourth after they were outscored in the third quarter 32-20, shooting just 6-for-18 overall and forcing just two turnovers.
After back-to-back duds in Cleveland, Jenkins immediately looked more comfortable on his home floor.
The 24-year-old guard started the night with a bang, scoring the Pistons’ first seven points of the game. He knocked down back-to-back shots from the corners, one a 3-pointer, the other a long 2-pointer with his foot on the line, before finishing a hook in the lane to give them an early 7-2 lead.
Jenkins scored two points in each of Games 3 and 4 on the road, shooting 1-for-9 overall combined. But he’s had coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s trust throughout the postseason due to his ball-handling and ability to rise to the moment and was inserted into the starting lineup over both Huerter and Caris LeVert, who would’ve provided more size along with shotmaking.
The former two-way guard continued to deliver in the fourth period, during which he scored six points including a late 3-pointer that extended the lead to nine.
Bickerstaff confirmed before the game that Stewart, who has had a quiet series against the Cavaliers while lacking his usual physicality at the rim, is fully healthy. Stewart, in turn, put together his most emphatic half in weeks.
Stewart checked in toward the end of the first quarter and immediately knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, extending the lead to 29-25. They were his first attempts from the arc since Game 5 of the first round against the Orlando Magic, and first makes since Game 4.
He followed with a signature Stewart defensive possession early in the second quarter, stuffing a layup attempt by Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson and then wrestling the rebound away from him. Tyson then appeared to strike Stew’s arm with his forearm in frustration, and was whistled for technical foul as the officials ruled the possession a jump ball.
It was Stewart’s first block since Game 5 against the Magic – he went six-straight games without a single rejection, an uncharacteristically-long stretch for one of the league’s best shot-blockers. He helped the Pistons stay in control in the first half, checking back out at the 6:36 mark of the second quarter with his team up 15, 47-32.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons fumble and lose Game 5 to James Harden, Cavs in overtime
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But the Cavs used a 9-0 run to close regulation, then scored the first four points of overtime and held off the Pistons on Wednesday, May 13, for a 117-113 victory in Game 5 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The 4-seed Cavs now have a 3-2 series lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals, winning three in a row. They can close out the 1-seed Pistons in Game 6 on Friday night in Cleveland.
Cade Cunningham scored a game-high 39 points.
The Pistons were on the wrong side of a controversial no-call to end regulation, when Ausar Thompson appeared to be tripped going for a loose ball by Jarrett Allen. The Cavs were over the foul limit, and Thompson would have shot free throws with roughly a second left. He made two free throws earlier in the quarter.
TRENDING: Was Ausar Thompson tripped by Jarrett Allen to end 4th? You decide
James Harden led the Cavs with 30 points and Max Strus hit six 3s off the bench for 20 points with eight rebounds. Donovan Mitchell was limited to 21 points on 7-for-18 shooting. He hit his only 3-pointer in overtime from the right corner.
Harden got his own miss off a free throw with 20 seconds left in overtime and the Cavs up 114-111, with Cunningham missing the assignment. Harden made the first and the Pistons missed multiple shots in the final seconds down four.
Daniss Jenkins (19 points) made his first playoff start in place of Duncan Robinson, ruled out before tipoff with back soreness.
Third-string center Paul Reed played over Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart in the fourth quarter and overtime. Caris LeVert also played down the stretch over Thompson at times.
Pistons bench Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart for Paul Reed
“B-Ball Paul” checked into the game for the first time at the start of the fourth quarter and played the entire period over Duren, tallying four points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks. Reed remained in the game during overtime as well and scored the Pistons’ first four points of the extra period.
It marked the third-straight game the Pistons turned to Reed in the second half. He played over Duren for most of the third quarters in both Games 3 and 4, but Wednesday was his most-involved role yet as far as closing out a game. Duren finished with nine points, five rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes.
Pistons start strong, Cavaliers answer in second half
The Pistons led by as many as 15 in the first half after opening the second quarter with an 18-5 run. They made their first eight shots of the period, capped with a pair of midrange jumpers from Harris, followed by a steal by Jenkins and alley-oop lob to Thompson in transition, to give them a 47-32 lead at the 6:49 mark.
After scoring 20 points off of 10 Cavaliers turnovers in the first half, the Pistons lost momentum in the third as Cleveland cleaned up its ball control issues. After cutting the lead to eight at halftime, the Cavaliers opened the third with a 16-8 run to tie the game at 68.
A Sam Merrill 3-pointer with 1:59 on the clock gave the Cavaliers their first lead of the second half, 79-78. The Pistons trailed 84-80 entering the fourth after they were outscored in the third quarter 32-20, shooting just 6-for-18 overall and forcing just two turnovers.
Daniss Jenkins shines in first playoff start
After back-to-back duds in Cleveland, Jenkins immediately looked more comfortable on his home floor.
The 24-year-old guard started the night with a bang, scoring the Pistons’ first seven points of the game. He knocked down back-to-back shots from the corners, one a 3-pointer, the other a long 2-pointer with his foot on the line, before finishing a hook in the lane to give them an early 7-2 lead.
Jenkins scored two points in each of Games 3 and 4 on the road, shooting 1-for-9 overall combined. But he’s had coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s trust throughout the postseason due to his ball-handling and ability to rise to the moment and was inserted into the starting lineup over both Huerter and Caris LeVert, who would’ve provided more size along with shotmaking.
The former two-way guard continued to deliver in the fourth period, during which he scored six points including a late 3-pointer that extended the lead to nine.
Isaiah Stewart steps up after cold stretch
Bickerstaff confirmed before the game that Stewart, who has had a quiet series against the Cavaliers while lacking his usual physicality at the rim, is fully healthy. Stewart, in turn, put together his most emphatic half in weeks.
Stewart checked in toward the end of the first quarter and immediately knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, extending the lead to 29-25. They were his first attempts from the arc since Game 5 of the first round against the Orlando Magic, and first makes since Game 4.
He followed with a signature Stewart defensive possession early in the second quarter, stuffing a layup attempt by Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson and then wrestling the rebound away from him. Tyson then appeared to strike Stew’s arm with his forearm in frustration, and was whistled for technical foul as the officials ruled the possession a jump ball.
It was Stewart’s first block since Game 5 against the Magic – he went six-straight games without a single rejection, an uncharacteristically-long stretch for one of the league’s best shot-blockers. He helped the Pistons stay in control in the first half, checking back out at the 6:36 mark of the second quarter with his team up 15, 47-32.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons fumble and lose Game 5 to James Harden, Cavs in overtime
Continue reading...
