Inside the Cleveland Cavaliers' Game 3 Win Over the Detroit Pistons

The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed a crucial 116-109 win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 3 to shave Detroit's semifinals series lead to just one game. Donovan Mitchell kept his strong scoring run going with a team-leading 35 points, which marked his fourth game with 30 or more this postseason and second in a row following a loss in Game 2. Detroit guard Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 27 points despite hitting just 10 of his 27 shots in a triple-double outing.

May 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) is defended by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) in the second half during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Pistons wing Duncan Robinson drew first blood for the Motor City with a quick 3-pointer, but a battle of the stars would keep things even between the two Midwestern rivals. Mitchell refused to let the game slip from Cleveland's hands as he earned seven of the Cavs' first 13 points, which all but countered Cleveland's early turnover struggles from getting the best of it despite earning four in the first few minutes. The Cavs would end the bout with 15 total turnovers, which fell just short of the average that put them in second place among postseason squads with just under 17 per contest entering the game.

The duo of Mitchell and center Jarrett Allen would end the bout with nearly half of Cleveland's points, while guard Dennis Schröder proved to be a spark plug off the bench with 11 points in about 22 minutes of play. Two of the newer kids to Center Court in Schröder and James Harden would join Allen in going perfect from the floor in the first quarter, which only added to a performance that saw the Cavs hit their 2026 postseason high of just over 70% from the floor in the same span. Mitchell continued to play hero for the Cavs as he helped guide a Cleveland run that put all of the momentum in the Cavs' favor, which pushed the lead out to 16 points by the halftime horn. The Pistons would steal the momentum right back with a lopsided run in the third quarter that put them back within fighting distance, but the Cavs snatched it right back for good with physical play on both sides of the floor.

The Cavs took a much-needed step back from playing with their backs against the wall as they work to ward off their third consecutive semifinal elimination.

Cleveland earned its third game win over its last three semifinals series, which includes one against the Indiana Pacers last season and one against the Boston Celtics in 2024. The New York Knicks claimed a dominant 3-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers on the other side of the Eastern bracket, which only strengthened the collision course between the Pistons and Knicks to face each other in the playoffs for the second year in a row until Cleveland's Saturday win. It'll take staying on par with the Pistons from the jump and having enough gas in the tank to compete in all four quarters to keep its postseason run alive and tie things up on its home court in Game 4.

The Cavs will tip off against the Pistons at 8 p.m. EDT on Monday in Rocket Arena. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

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