Last Updated:
Donovan Mitchell exploded for 43 points as the Cavaliers used a stunning 22-0 third-quarter run to beat the Pistons 112-103 and level the series 2-2.
Mitchell exploded for a career playoff-high 43 points, as the Cavs hijacked Game 4 (AP)
To say the Cleveland Cavaliers stole Game 4 would be putting it mildly.
After a messy, tightly contested first half, the Cavaliers completely detonated after the break behind a playoff masterclass from Donovan Mitchell, who exploded for 43 points in a 112-103 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.
And the sequence that changed everything? A brutal 22-0 Cleveland run to open the third quarter.
Just minutes earlier, Mitchell had looked oddly quiet. The Cavs superstar struggled badly in the opening half, shooting just 3-for-10 from the field while Detroit’s defense kept him under wraps.
But right after halftime, Mitchell came out breathing fire, torching the Pistons with one of the most explosive playoff stretches in recent memory.
The All-Star guard piled up a staggering 39 second-half points — tied for the most points ever scored in a single half of an NBA playoff game.
Everywhere Detroit turned, Mitchell had an answer; Meanwhile, the Pistons completely froze.
Detroit opened the second half with six straight scoreless minutes, and by the time they finally stopped the bleeding, the game had already tilted heavily in the Cavs’ favour.
Cavs Stars Deliver When It Matters
Mitchell may have stolen the headlines, but Cleveland’s supporting cast also stepped up at the perfect time.
James Harden delivered 23 points and 11 assists, while Evan Mobley added 17 points as Cleveland suddenly rediscovered the swagger that had been missing earlier in the series.
Pistons Falter Despite Bench Spark
For Detroit, the night quickly turned frustrating.
Cade Cunningham never truly found rhythm after halftime, finishing with a relatively subdued 19 points on 7-for-16 shooting, while Tobias Harris struggled to impact the game consistently.
Ironically, Detroit’s best energy came from the bench.
Former Cavalier Caris LeVert poured in 24 points to keep the Pistons alive early, while Paul Reed added an energetic 15-point burst that briefly injected life into the home side.
To Detroit’s credit, they nearly made things interesting late, closing the fourth quarter on a 13-2 run to trim the deficit to single digits with under a minute remaining. But the damage had already been done.
Now, with the series tied 2-2 and returning to Detroit next, the series feels wide open again.
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
