With the series back in Cleveland for game three, Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell single-handedly propelled the home squad to a 116-109 victory over the Detroit Pistons to cut their second round lead to 2-1. 

After two games that followed seemingly the same script with the Pistons up early before squandering a double-digit lead that they’d eventually take back, the Cavaliers took their turn in the driver’s seat for much of game three. During the second quarter, the Pistons missed 12 consecutive field goals at one point by settling for poor shots, and the Cavs took that opportunity to build a 16-point lead by halftime. 

Once the fourth quarter rolled around, the Pistons had cut Cleveland’s lead to just five points to set the stage for a tense finish. Though Detroit briefly took the lead in the final frame, Mitchell kept scoring key buckets to keep the Cavs ahead in what was a 35-point effort for the talented shooter who added 10 rebounds and four assists to his total.

On Detroit’s side, Cade Cunningham logged a triple-double on the night with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but the All-Star point guard forced the ball down the stretch and ended up committing eight costly turnovers. Cunningham also experienced ball security issues in round one against the Orlando Magic, so the Pistons might want to reestablish which matchups they are attacking during crunch time. 

Outside of Cunningham’s up and down performance, Duncan Robinson continued his hot streak from the perimeter with four three-pointers on the night, which is his sixth consecutive game with at least three triples in the playoffs. Robinson set a franchise record with his refined outside shooting, and he knocked down a slew of big shots for 15 points in game three. 

But Robinson was not the only Pistons vet to step up his production in the postseason considering Tobias Harris broke the 20-point threshold for the eighth consecutive game, which extends his own NBA record set during game two. Harris went the entire regular season without consecutive 20-point nights, so his ability to elevate his game during the postseason eight games in a row is a testament to his experience and presence during clutch moments. 

With most of the Pistons starting lineup elevating their game in the playoffs, the curious case of Jalen Duren continues to span into the second round. On Saturday afternoon, Duren managed just 11 points and four rebounds in 29 minutes, which is a performance that extends his run of inconsistent results in the postseason. 

Before reaching the playoffs, Duren was a nightly 20 and 10 type of player who commanded attention in the post and relished the opportunity to abuse opposing big men in lob situations. But since facing the Magic in round one, Duren has looked more like his pre-All-Star form. 

As a team, the Pistons dominated the Cavs on the glass but still couldn’t make those extra possessions count. Detroit ended the game with 40 boards to Cleveland’s 33, which includes a 12-rebound advantage on the offensive glass for the Pistons. If Detroit wants to close out the series, they will need to capitalize on every extra possession they can muster. 

Game four is set for an 8 pm tip-off on Monday, May 11 in Cleveland. 

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