Cavaliers win Game 5 in overtime to take 3-2 series lead

The Cleveland Cavaliers left Detroit with a 3-2 lead after a 117-113 overtime win over the Pistons on Wednesday night, overcoming a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes of regulation. James Harden scored a playoff-best 30 points for Cleveland, and Donovan Mitchell added 21 as the Cavaliers won their third straight game of the Eastern Conference semifinal series. (2822news.com) Cade Cunningham scored 39 points for Detroit, but the Pistons could not close out a game they led 103-94 late in the fourth quarter. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, May 15, in Cleveland. ### How did Cleveland take control after trailing late? (nba.com) Cleveland trailed 103-94 with about three minutes left in regulation before closing the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run, according to NBA.com’s game recap. The comeback forced overtime and flipped a game that had been in Detroit’s hands. James Harden delivered the biggest scoring line for Cleveland with 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists, according to NBA.com and the Associated Press. Donovan Mitchell finished with 21 points, even after shooting 1-for-8 from 3-point range, and the Cavaliers held Detroit to 10 points in the extra period. (2822news.com) ### Which numbers defined the game most clearly? The 117-113 final gave Cleveland its first road win of the postseason, according to Yahoo Sports’ game report. The Cavaliers had dropped their earlier playoff road games before winning Game 5 at Little Caesars Arena. (nba.com) Cade Cunningham’s 39 points kept Detroit in front for most of the night, and the Pistons still led by nine in the closing minutes of regulation, according to the Detroit Free Press and AP. James Harden’s 30 points were his playoff best this year, giving Cleveland the top individual scoring line on the winning side. (youtube.com) ### What does the series score look like now? The NBA’s playoff page lists Cleveland ahead 3-2 after five games, with Detroit having opened the series by winning Games 1 and 2 before Cleveland answered with three straight victories. Game 5 is listed as a 117-113 Cleveland win in overtime. (sports.yahoo.com) The series page also lists Detroit as the No. 1 seed and Cleveland as the No. 4 seed in the East bracket. Series averages through five games were even at 108.6 points per game for both teams, underscoring how close the matchup had been before Game 5 broke Cleveland’s way. ### Why was Game 5 such a swing point for Detroit? Detroit entered Wednesday with a chance to move one win from the conference finals, but the overtime loss turned the pressure onto the Pistons. (freep.com) The Detroit Free Press said Cunningham’s 39-point night was not enough after the team gave up nine straight points to end regulation. (nba.com) J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit’s coach, appeared in the NBA’s postgame coverage after the loss, while Kenny Atkinson did the same for Cleveland. The NBA page did not frame the result beyond the standings change, but the updated bracket now shows Detroit facing elimination in the next game. (nba.com) That is an inference from the 3-2 series score and the best-of-seven format shown on the NBA playoff page. ### When and where is Game 6? Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m. ET in Cleveland, according to the NBA playoff series page and MLive’s schedule report. The NBA page lists Prime Video as the broadcast outlet for the game. (freep.com) Game 7, if necessary, is listed for Sunday, May 17, on the NBA playoff page. Cleveland can advance with a win in Game 6, while Detroit would need a road win to force the series back to a deciding seventh game. That scenario follows directly from the NBA’s 3-2 series listing. (nba.com)