Harden's 30 Lifts Cavaliers to 117-113 OT Win, Series 3-2

James Harden scored a playoff-best 30 points and Donovan Mitchell added 21 as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to beat the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime on Wednesday, taking a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Detroit led by as many as 15 in the first half and held a 103-94 advantage with just over two minutes remaining. Cleveland closed the gap, and Evan Mobley tied the game at 103 with a pair of free throws with 45.2 seconds left in regulation.

The Cavaliers then put together a decisive 13-0 run, keeping the Pistons scoreless for roughly five minutes from late in the fourth quarter into the middle of overtime. Mitchell’s 3-pointer gave Cleveland a seven-point edge with 2:39 remaining in the extra period.

Cade Cunningham finished with a game-high 39 points and nine assists for Detroit and hit a jumper to pull the Pistons within two with 25 seconds left. Harden made a pair of crucial free throws on the final possession—grabbing his own miss on the first—to help seal the victory.

Game 6 is Friday night in Cleveland; the Cavs will have two chances at home to clinch the series. If Detroit forces a Game 7, it would be played Sunday in Detroit.