Winners and Losers From Detroit Pistons Game 3 Loss to Cavaliers

The Detroit Pistons' Game 3 second-half comeback fell short as the Cleveland Cavaliers avoided going down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

May 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) reacts after a play against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Detroit Pistons' second-half comeback fell just short as the Cleveland Cavaliers took Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Rocket Arena, winning 116-109 on Saturday.

While the Pistons still lead the series 2-1, they would have loved to go up 3-0 and had many opportunities to complete the comeback in Game 3. 

As the Pistons finish licking their wounds and focus their attention on taking a 3-1 series lead over the Cavaliers with a win in Game 4 on Monday, here are the biggest winners and losers from Game 3. 

Winner: Donovan Mitchell and James Harden

May 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after hitting a three point basket against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Following the first two games of the series in Detroit, both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden took their share of criticism from the pundits for their performances on the road against the Pistons. Saturday’s Game 3 provided Mitchell and Harden with the perfect opportunity to get back on track, and both did just that. 

Mitchell was magnificent throughout the game, leading the Cavaliers with 35 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, dazzling the energetic crowd at Rocket Arena with his play. 

Harden also capitalized in key moments, finishing with 19 points, seven assists, and two rebounds on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. Seven of those 19 points for Harden came in the final two minutes of the Cavaliers' Game 3 win as his step-back three-point jump shot with 25.9 seconds remaining sealed the win for Cleveland.

Loser: Cade Cunningham Turnovers

May 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half of game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

While Cade Cunningham led the Pistons in the loss, recording a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, he again struggled with turnovers. In the loss, eight of the Pistons 15 turnovers against the Cavaliers came from their star, Cade Cunningham.

His turnovers down the stretch in the fourth quarter ultimately led to the Pistons' comeback falling short in Game 3, as he recorded three straight turnovers to end the game, including a Max Strus steal off an inbound pass and scoring an open layup off of it.

Going back to the Pistons' first-round series against the Orlando Magic, turnovers have been an issue for Cunningham, and it's something that the star needs to fix ahead of a pivotal Game 4 in Cleveland on Monday night.

Winner: Paul Reed’s Production Off Bench

During the Pistons' second-half comeback, Paul Reed had a crucial impact off the bench, giving Detroit much-needed energy. In 10 minutes off the bench, Reed scored 11 points and had three rebounds on 4-of-4 shooting from the field, a playoff high for the Pistons' big man.

Heading into Game 4 on Monday night in Cleveland, it’ll be interesting to see what Reed’s role is off the bench, as giving him more playing time could benefit the Pistons rotation and help them take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Loser: Jalen Duren

While Jalen Duren has shown some improvement in the playoffs after what was a poor showing overall in the Pistons' first-round series against the Orlando Magic, he struggled throughout Detroit’s Game 3 loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday. 

Duren got in foul trouble throughout the game, which cost the Pistons in key moments. Duren finished the loss with 11 points, four rebounds, and one assist on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, along with recording three turnovers.