Cleveland — A 20-second sequence late in the second quarter best illustrated how the Detroit Pistons stayed two steps behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for much of Saturday.
After three straight dreadful plays, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout as fans at Rocket Arena gave their team a standing ovation. The Pistons walked back to the bench in disarray and never seemed to break free from the subpar play that left them trailing 64-48 at halftime.
However, if there is one thing the Pistons have consistently shown, it is that they are a team that cannot be underestimated. Detroit mounted a rally in the second half, outscoring the Cavaliers 33-19 in the third quarter. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent a 116-109 Game 3 loss. The Pistons lead the Cavaliers 2-1 in their series.
BOX SCORE: Cavaliers 116, Pistons 109
“In the first half, we were able to get great looks. We got open shots that did not fall for us,” Bickerstaff said. “We continued it in the second half, and the shots started to fall for us. We just have to continue doing what we do, and we will get the looks that we are looking for.”
Since staving off elimination by the Orlando Magic in Game 5 on April 29, the Pistons have not been shy about the lessons they have learned from their first-round series. In fact, the Pistons believe they are in a better position because of their experience, especially when facing a team in despair.
The Pistons made a comeback after trailing by 17 in the third quarter, outscoring the Cavaliers 33-19. This performance highlighted their ability to overcome a double-digit deficit. They went on an 11-2 run, relying on their strong defense throughout the second half.
The fourth quarter featured a back-and-forth between the teams. Amid several timely baskets, Tobias Harris’ 3-point shot gave the Pistons a 101-100 lead with 4:57 remaining. However, the Cavaliers embarked on a 16-8 run to close out the victory, capitalizing on the Pistons’ miscues.
Cunningham’s three consecutive turnovers were at the forefront of Detroit’s mishaps, two of which came on inbound passes. He finished with 27 points (10-of-26 FG), 10 assists and nine rebounds, to go with eight turnovers. In total, the Pistons finished with 16 giveaways that converted into 27 points for the Cavaliers.
“We did our job to get back into the game, but in the fourth quarter, there were turnovers, we had a couple of opportunities … little things,” Cunningham said. “Just bad plays that could have given us an opportunity to win this game.”
Despite the turnovers, Cunningham kept the Pistons within striking distance. He scored five points following his giveaways, bringing the Pistons within 110-109 with 50 seconds remaining. However, James Harden responded by scoring seven of his 19 in the final minute and a half. He also contributed seven assists. Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 35 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Allen added 18 points, 13 of which came in the first half.
“He (Harden) is an all-timer,” Cunningham said. “I think we have done a good job of (defending him), but guys get into a rhythm and start to make shots. He did a great job of finishing the game tonight and keeping us out of reach.”
Although the Pistons were unable to complete their late-game rally, poor shooting significantly contributed to their loss.
Robinson and Cunningham connected on a pair of 3-pointers on two of the Pistons’ first three offensive possessions. At the time, it appeared the Pistons were on the verge of keeping their 3-point shooting success going, given that they came into the game shooting a league-best 44.4% from deep in the first two games of the conference semifinals.
However, after making their first two attempts, they ended the first half with 13 consecutive missed 3-point field goals. The Pistons ended the night shooting 9 of 25 from deep. Harris finished with 21 points, while Robinson added 15 points. Jalen Duren’s subpar performance left him with 11 points and four rebounds.
Observations and notes
Paul Reed shines: Paul Reed had a significant impact on the Pistons’ second-half rally, contributing nine minutes off the bench with 11 points and three rebounds.
Foul trouble: In addition to their shooting struggles, foul trouble played a major role in the Pistons’ poor performance in the first half. Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren all had three fouls by halftime.
A lift from LeVert: The Cavaliers went on a run midway through the first quarter and started to build momentum en route to an 18-13 lead. However, after a timeout at the 6:41 mark, Bickerstaff made a change by bringing Caris LeVert into the game.
In just his first three minutes, LeVert shifted the momentum back to Detroit with two steals and four points. His best play came when he stole the ball from Dennis Schröder and finished with a two-handed dunk. LeVert ended the game playing 17 minutes, adding six points, four steals and two rebounds.
Game 5 tickets: After the Game 3 defeat, Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals will be held on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena. Tickets for Game 5 are available now at Pistons.com and Ticketmaster.
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Pistons rally in second half but miscues result in Game 3 loss
Reporting by Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
