The Cleveland Cavaliers come back from a nine-point deficit late in regulation to beat the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime to take a 3-2 series lead on Wednesday.
James Harden led the Cavaliers with 30 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while Donovan Mitchell had 21 points, Max Sitrus scored 20 with six triples, and Evan Mobley added 19 points.
The Pistons led by 15 points in the first half and 103-94 with two-plus minutes left, but Cleveland rallied into a 103-all tie on Evan Mobley’s free throws with 45.2 seconds left.
Cleveland went on a 13-0 run and held Detroit scoreless for five minutes from late in the fourth quarter to midway through overtime and led by seven with 2:39 left in OT on Mitchell’s 3-pointer.
Harden made one free throw on the ensuing possession and rebounded his missed second attempt, and sank another free throw to seal the win.
On the other hand, Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 39 points and nine assists, made a jumper to pull the Pistons within two points with 25 seconds left.
Daniss Jenkins scored 19 points, while Tobias Harris scored 13 points as he missed 13 of 19 shots, and Jalen Duren was limited to nine points and five rebounds.
The Pistons had won four straight games at home since Orlando put them on the brink of elimination in Game 5 of the first round.
Meanwhile, Mitchell was in pain after turning his right ankle in the first half and was held to single digits for the second straight game.
Detroit started the second quarter shooting 8 of 8 to take a 15-point lead as Cunningham drained his sixth three and Jenkins connected from beyond the arc with 5:25 left in regulation to have a six-point lead and cap a 10-0 run.
Despite Cunningham’s rally in the last minutes, it was not enough to lift them in regulation.
Game 6 is Friday night in Cleveland, where the fourth-seeded Cavs will get the first of two chances to advance to face the New York Knicks in the East finals.
If the top-seeded Pistons win, they will host Game 7 on Sunday.
