Cavaliers beat Pistons; Detroit faces Game 6

The Cleveland Cavaliers moved within one win of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night, beating the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime in Game 5 of their second-round series. James Harden scored a playoff-best 30 points and Donovan Mitchell added 21 as Cleveland rallied from a nine-point deficit late in regulation, according to the NBA and the Associated Press. (nba.com) Detroit now trails the series 3-2 and will need a win in Game 6 to extend its season. The NBA schedule lists Game 6 for Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m. ET. ### How did Cleveland get out of Game 5? (nba.com) The Cavaliers closed regulation on a 23-10 run over the final eight minutes, NBA.com said, turning a late deficit into a tie before finishing the game in overtime. Cleveland’s 117-113 win gave the team its first road victory of the postseason, according to NBA.com’s live recap. James Harden’s 30 points were the top individual number from the night for Cleveland. The Associated Press said Harden posted a playoff-best total, while Mitchell finished with 21 points in the comeback. (nba.com) ### Which number mattered most for Detroit? Detroit’s biggest problem was the result in the standings of the series: 3-2. The Pistons entered Game 5 with a chance to move within one win of the conference finals and instead returned home facing elimination. NBA.com’s recap said Cleveland’s late push changed the shape of the series in one night. (nba.com) The official playoff page now shows the Cavaliers leading 3-2 in the East semifinal matchup. ### Why is Game 6 the immediate focus? Friday, May 15, is the next scheduled date in the series. (nba.com) The NBA playoff schedule lists Game 6 at 7 p.m. ET, and the matchup page identifies it as the next game between Detroit and Cleveland with the Cavaliers leading 3-2. The schedule listing surfaced with conflicting location information in one NBA page snippet, but the user-provided local reporting and broader playoff context indicate Detroit is the host for Game 6. (nba.com) The official NBA playoff schedule is the league’s reference point for tip time, while local coverage has identified Detroit as the site. (nba.com) ### What does Detroit need from here? One win is the simple requirement for Detroit on May 15. A Pistons victory would force a Game 7, while a Cavaliers win would end the series and send Cleveland to the conference finals bracket. (nba.com) Cade Cunningham, Tobias Harris and Ausar Thompson remain the named Pistons figures on the series pages and local coverage surrounding the matchup, but the immediate fact is that Detroit no longer has margin for another loss. The next official update will come with Game 6 on Friday night. (nba.com) ### Where can readers track the next step? NBA.com’s playoff schedule and series page are the primary public listings for the next game’s time and series status. The league page says the postseason schedule is updated as dates are officially announced. (nba.com) Friday’s Game 6 is listed for 7 p.m. ET on May 15, with Detroit trying to extend the series and Cleveland trying to close it out. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)