The Cleveland Cavaliers held off a valiant comeback effort by the Detroit Pistons on Saturday to come away with a 116-109 victory and avoid the dreaded 3-0 deficit.
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The Pistons got out to a hot start that was very short-lived. It didn’t take long for Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers to take control.
Coming in with an 0-2 deficit, the Cavaliers looked more eager for most of the matchup. Efficient shooting and strong defense allowed the Cavs to go up by 16 at halftime.
While it seemed like a serious blowout could be in store, the Pistons had other plans and came out firing in the third quarter.
Detroit almost completely ignored the three-pointer in the third frame, opting to get downhill to the rim for good looks. That strategy was effective over time as they slowly cut away at the lead.
By the time the third quarter was ending, Cade Cunningham had led a comeback that cut the deficit to two points.
The final frame was more competitive than the previous two, with short scoring runs coming from both squads. Cleveland jumped back out to a seven-point lead, but the Pistons quickly responded once again.
In clutch time, the Cavaliers were able to force Cunningham into three straight turnovers. They were able to capitalize on the other end to hold on for the win.
Mitchell led the way for Cleveland with 35 points and 10 rebounds. James Harden made big shots in the clutch while putting up 19 points and seven assists.
For the Pistons, Cunningham finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
