Let it be known, the Cleveland Cavaliers won’t lose six games in a row on the road in the playoffs.
Facing a loud crowd in Game 5 at Little Caesars Arena, the Cavs survived a 39-point performance from Cade Cunningham and gutted out a 117-113 overtime victory as they’re now one win away from their first conference finals appearance since 2018.
Cleveland was a paltry 0-5 on the road and a perfect 6-0 at home. They went on a 9-0 run to end regulation, outscoring Detroit 23-10 run to stun the Pistons.
Before the game, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson lamented the team’s road woes. But after Cleveland overcame a game-high, 15-point deficit and a nine-point deficit with three minutes remaining in regulation, they have momentum entering Game 6 in Rocket Arena on Friday.
“Man, we just made big plays,” Atkinson said. “We’re down eight, down nine. I think that stretch right there says a lot about our progress, mental performance process and mental toughness process.
“We kept at it. Evan Mobley, huge plays. Max Strus, huge plays. And then regulation didn’t end great, and these guys never get down, right?” Great demeanor, great leadership from Donovan (Mitchell), Evan and James (Harden).”
Harden showed mental toughness with a 30-point game. Known for his underwhelming performances in the playoffs, he got to the line 14 times and made 11 of those attempts.
In fact, he came through on a play that’ll give the Pistons nightmares if they lose this series.
At the free-throw line with Cleveland holding a 114-111 lead with 24 seconds left, Harden missed the second free throw but came up with the rebound, as Cunningham had to foul him a few seconds later.
“Felt it was a few things, a few opportunities that I missed, whether it was free throws, floaters, shots, whatever the case may be, but it’s part of the game,” Harden said.
“But (it’s) just having the right mindset, the right intent throughout the course of the entire game, trusting the process up until that final buzzer.”
With three straight wins, Cleveland has shown a mental fortitude to handle Detroit’s physical play in a series that’s been neck-and-neck since the first game.
“It took everything we had, just possession by possession, just wearing it down, finding ways to win, getting the ball in (James Harden)’s hands, getting the ball in Evan (Mobley)’s hands, making plays and getting stops defensively,” said Max Strus, who finished with 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range.
Strus also came up clutch on the defensive end, pressuring Cunningham on an inbounds pass and forcing a steal. He waited until Donovan Mitchell raced up the floor and was the assist man for a layup that gave the Cavs a 112-105 lead with 2:29 left in overtime.
“It wasn’t our best night offensively, but I think that’s what speaks volumes to getting this win, was we found a way, and that’s our first time doing it on the road in these playoffs,” Strus said. “I think that’s something we can build off of going forward.”
Cleveland heads home where they are undefeated in the playoffs.
“This will give us, just like tonight, momentum going into next game,” Atkinson said. “We got a home crowd too. It’s a great opportunity for this group. I’ve been in this position before, and have lost this next game, this game six.
“That puts a lot of pressure on you in game seven, especially if you have to go on the road.”
Kameron Goodwill is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Cavs overcome 15-point deficit, edge Pistons in OT: ‘We just made big plays’
Reporting by Kameron Goodwill, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
