‘The Beard’ leads the Cavs as top scorer, securing the series’ first away win in a thriller. Cleveland is now just one win away from the Conference Finals.
The Pistons definitively squander their 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in Game 5, finding themselves with their backs against the wall, just as they did in the previous round against the Orlando Magic. Despite Cade Cunningham once again shining with a personal best and Detroit holding a significant lead near the end, Cleveland turns the series around.
Detroit Pistons (E1) — Cleveland Cavaliers (E4) 113:117 — Series: 2-3
The situation looked promising for the home fans in ‘Motor City’ with three minutes left in regulation. Tobias Harris had just extended the lead to 103:94 with a three-pointer. However, these were the last Pistons points in regulation. The Cavaliers gradually closed the gap, with Evan Mobley tying the game with 45 seconds remaining.
In overtime, Detroit struggled to score for a long period. The home team remained scoreless for five minutes, while the Cavs scored 13 consecutive points, leading by as much as +7 in the extra period.
The Pistons, however, regrouped and fought back. With only 26 seconds left on the clock, Cunningham hit a jumper to make it 111:113. On the other end, James Harden went to the line and made only the first free throw. ‘The Beard’ missed the second, but secured the rebound and went back to the line. He made one more, the Pistons failed to respond quickly, and after further successful free throws by Mobley in the final second, they only managed to improve the scoreline.
Mitchell Strong in Overtime — Strus Dims the Lights
With 30 points (8/21 FG, 3/10 3FG, 11/14 FT), Harden was the top scorer for the Cavs, who managed to win an away game in the playoffs for the first time in their sixth attempt. The February acquisition also filled the box score with 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, alongside 6 turnovers.
His backcourt partner, Donovan Mitchell, who exploded for an NBA playoff record in the second half of Game 4, struggled with his shot for much of the game (7/18 FG, 1/8 3FG). However, in overtime, he made all his shots, scoring seven of his 21 points in the extra period.
While Cleveland’s big men Mobley (19 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST, 3 BLK) and Jarrett Allen (16 PTS, 10 REB, 2 BLK) put up strong numbers, starter Dean Wade went scoreless. On the other hand, Max Strus provided excellent shooting off the bench (20 PTS, 6/8 3FG). German captain Dennis Schröder scored 5 points (1/4 FG) and dished out 5 assists in 17 minutes.
«Offensively, it wasn’t our best night, but I think it speaks volumes that we still found a way to get this win,» Strus said afterwards with pride. The win again came largely from the free-throw line. The Cavaliers made 31 of their 38 attempts from the charity stripe, while the Pistons made 18 of 20.
Bickerstaff Again Disputes Calls — Duren Reaches a Low Point
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was already greatly agitated by the referees’ calls in Game 4. This time, he again complained afterwards about a missed foul call shortly before the end of regulation. «He fouled Ausar. It’s obvious,» he stated indignantly about a no-call against Allen, which would have sent Thompson to the line for a potential game-winner.
However, Bickerstaff had to stomach an initial disappointment even before the game began: sharpshooter Duncan Robinson was sidelined with back problems on short notice. For him, Daniss Jenkins moved into the starting lineup and performed reasonably well with 19 points and 3 assists.
He was only surpassed in scoring by superstar Cade Cunningham. The point guard put up 39 points (13/27 FG) and celebrated a personal playoff record with six made three-pointers. With 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 6 turnovers, he once again filled the stat sheet in both positive and negative ways.
Cunningham didn’t have much support that night. Thompson, as always, wasn’t a major scoring factor (6 PTS), but at least contributed in other areas (7 REB, 5 AST, 4 STL, 3 BLK). Tobias Harris missed 13 of his 19 shots, made only one of seven three-pointers, and finished with just 13 points. Even less came from the supposed co-star Jalen Duren. The center scored a mere 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
However, Duren was also only allowed to play 25 minutes before Bickerstaff had seen enough. He watched the final 17 minutes of the game from the bench. In his place, Paul Reed, in particular, made his mark at center and had a significantly greater impact in just 17 minutes (10 PTS, 8 REB, 4 OR).
Duren, however, did not lose his optimism. Neither about himself nor about the Pistons. «If anyone can do it, it’s probably us,» he said when asked if his team still believes they can return to Detroit for a decisive Game 7. To do that, the Pistons must first win Game 6 in Cleveland on Friday night (01:00 AM).
NBA Playoffs 2026: Second Round Standings and Results
| Conference | Matchup | Stand |
|---|---|---|
| Western | Thunder (1) — Lakers (4) | 4-0 |
| Western | Spurs (2) — Timberwolves (6) | 3-2 |
| Eastern | Pistons (1) — Cavaliers (4) | 3-2 |
| Eastern | Knicks (3) — Sixers (7) | 4-0 |