The Cleveland Cavaliers have one clear goal as they prepare to take on the Detroit Pistons in Game 4.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game 3 gave the team some hope that they can get back in this series and advance to the next round, but the work is far from over, and they’re well aware of that.
Cleveland’s mindset ahead of Game 3 was just win, anyway possible, just win. The Cavaliers accomplished that task, so where are the team’s heads at as they prep for a pivotal Game 4 on their home floor?
Head coach Kenny Atkinson said the Cavaliers want to go out on Monday night and shift the narrative from the Pistons being in control of the series to Cleveland having a firm grasp as well.
“Just looking at kind of what [the Pistons are] saying, and it's like, I think, they still feel like they have control of this series,” said Atkinson on Sunday. “I think they still feel very confident…I get it. I totally get it. But we have to put more, more doubt.”
May 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach Kenny Atkinson looks on in the second half against the Detroit Pistons during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn ImagesCleveland’s head coach has a point. Detroit won both Games 1 and 2 on its home floor, and even made Game 3 a nailbiter at the end when they came back from being down 17 points in the second half.
The Pistons have a lot of reasons to be confident about where they stand in this series, but the Cavaliers figured a few things out on offense on Saturday, too, which should give them just as much confidence.
“We're good, we're playing good basketball,” continued Atkinson. “We gotta turn that narrative. So we haven't. We've turned it a little, right? Win game one, but to really make this where they’re a little, like, more aware of our threat, we gotta go get this one [Game 4].”
With the Cavaliers so mindful of shifting the narrative in Game 4, it’ll be interesting to see what adjustments the team makes to ensure they assert themselves as a threat to the Pistons.
Max Strus is playing some of the best basketball of anyone on the team. Does he get more minutes or possibly slide into a starting role?
Cleveland’s head coach was also adamant that both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen need to stay active and be rewarded for their work in the paint, while the guards are a little more selective with their shots.
If the Cavaliers do tie up this series on Monday at two games apiece, the narrative will certainly have shifted. However, there’s a lot of work Cleveland still must do to get to that point.
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