Through two games in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Detroit Pistons are exactly where they should be.
That included a 2-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers, thanks to a 107-97 win on Thursday, May 7. The Pistons will try to replicate that success on the road in Games 3 and 4 in Cleveland, starting Saturday (3 p.m., NBC).
All-Star Pistons guard Cade Cunningham arguably has been the best player of the postseason, averaging 30.6 points, 7.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds and nearly two full blocks and steals combined. He’s shooting 45% overall and 40.6% from 3. The Cavaliers had no answer as he closed out Game 2 with 12 of his 25 points in the final period, including a stepback 3-pointer in the final minutes that extended their lead to nine.
The Cavaliers rallied from a 14-point deficit to briefly take the lead, 81-79, before the Pistons closed the game with a commanding 28-16 run.
“I think it’s the understanding of what the moment calls for, and that’s what this group is finding,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “It’s not always a shot. … A lot of times [when] you grow up [you think] it’s offense, offense, offense. We found rebounds, we found deflections, we found steals, we started to pick and roll the right way. So, it’s like understanding what the moment calls for and then being able to execute it in the moment.
“And then, I mean Cade is just fabulous. He’s a killer closer, and all the adjectives you want to talk about, he’s it, and in the fourth quarter, he does his best work.”
Here are two keys for the Pistons in Game 3, plus a prediction.
Can the Pistons continue to contain James Harden?
The Cavaliers acquired Harden in February to amp up their playoff push. Through two games in this series, however, the future Hall of Famer hasn’t made much of an impact. He was held to 10 points on 3-for-13 shooting with one assist and four turnovers Thursday, and was a non-factor in the fourth quarter. For the series, he has more turnovers (11) than assists (10) and is shooting 1-for-11 from 3.
The Pistons are well-equipped to slow down this slower, 36-year-old version of Harden. Cunningham has been his primary defensive matchup and is winning the battle thoroughly. When Harden isn’t being defended by Cunningham or Ausar Thompson, it’s usually Ron Holland. The 20-year-old hounded Harden with glee, registering a block and a steal on him in nine minutes.
Donovan Mitchell has had to carry the offense in crunch time. In Thursday’s second half, he led the Cavaliers with 19 points on 13 shots. Harden had two points on three shot attempts. Mitchell’s lift hasn’t been enough for Cleveland. The Pistons have to keep it as a one-man show and avoid letting Harden settle into a rhythm on his (new) home floor.
Can Ausar Thompson stay out of foul trouble?
Thompson’s defensive presence has been virtually omnipresent. His postseason numbers highlight his sheer versatility – nine points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.9 blocks – and yet still don’t sum up his overall impact on the defensive end.
He was instrumental in the Pistons’ strong first half Thursday, as they held Cleveland to 39.5% shooting with nine turnovers. Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 12 points on 10 shots, but the rest of the roster struggled to generate clean looks against the Pistons’ swarming defense.
It wasn’t until Thompson picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter, forcing him to sit out of the rest of the period, that Mitchell got going. He scored 11 points on six shots without Thompson on him, and the Cavaliers cut an 11-point halftime lead to one by the end of the quarter. Thompson returned to play most of the fourth, and Mitchell and the Cavaliers suddenly couldn’t find the bottom of the net again.
Mitchell and Harden are among the league’s best at getting to the line. Thompson largely has avoided foul trouble this postseason. In Cleveland, he’ll have to be careful about not being overly handsy.
Pistons vs Cavaliers prediction in Game 3
The Pistons are a better team than the Cavaliers. It was true in the regular season, despite the two teams splitting the season series, 2-2. And it’s been true through the first two games of this series, both double-digit wins. A good game from Harden, or hot night from a Cleveland role player such as Max Strus or Jaylon Tyson, would energize the Cavaliers on their home floor. The Pistons should expect a firm punch, though, and prevail thanks to Cunningham’s two-way stardom and their stifling defense. The pick: Pistons 108, Cavaliers 104.
>>Follow the best Pistons coverage all year round at freep.com/sports/pistons.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Can Cade keep locking down Harden? Pistons Game 3 prediction vs Cavs
Reporting by Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
