CLEVELAND, May 9, 2026, 18:09 EDT
Cleveland managed to keep Cade Cunningham and the Pistons in check just enough on Saturday, pulling out a 116-109 win in Game 3 at Rocket Arena. That trims Detroit’s edge in the Eastern Conference semifinals to 2-1. The teams head back to Cleveland for Game 4 on Monday night. Whoever takes this series will get the Knicks or 76ers next in the conference finals.
This time, Cleveland dodged the dreaded 3-0 deficit, giving itself a shot Monday to change the series conversation instead of just clinging on. Detroit remains in front, but the Cavaliers managed to halt Cunningham’s streak of clutch-time takeovers.
Donovan Mitchell dropped 35 points and grabbed 10 boards for Cleveland. James Harden finished with 19, getting nine of those in the final period. Cade Cunningham posted a triple-double—27 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists—but a handful of turnovers down the stretch sealed it for Cleveland.
Two nights earlier, Cunningham lifted Detroit to a 107-97 win in Game 2, piling up 25 points and 10 assists—12 of those points coming in the fourth. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff handed out high praise afterward, calling Cunningham “the killer” and “the closer,” and said the fourth quarter is where Cunningham “does his best work.” Reuters
Detroit took Game 2 with defense that pushed Cleveland into sluggish, awkward sets—just like the rest of this series. The Cavaliers managed only 7-of-32 on threes. Detroit, meanwhile, drilled 14 of 28 from beyond the arc and stayed on top for most of the game at Little Caesars Arena.
Kenny Atkinson, the Cleveland coach, called it an adjustment, not a gripe, ahead of Game 3. “It’s on us to adapt,” he said, referencing the officials and the rougher style of play. Bickerstaff didn’t mince words on Detroit’s tactics: “We legally hit you, we legally bump you.” Fear The Sword
After Game 2, Cunningham didn’t mince words about Detroit’s 2-0 advantage. “It’s a war more so than just a battle,” he said. The Pistons, he added, knew “a thin line still” separated them from the Cavs. SI
Saturday, the Pistons found themselves down 64-48 by halftime. Detroit clawed back with a 33-19 third quarter, tightening things to 83-81 heading into the fourth. The rally got them close, but the Cavs’ Mitchell and Harden kept Cleveland in control when it counted, closing out Detroit’s shot on the road.
Detroit’s got something to watch: Cleveland might finally be unlocking direct lanes to the rim, after two games of slogging through tough jumpers. But for Cleveland, a different hazard—Mitchell taking on too much. If that happens, Detroit’s pressure and Cunningham’s knack for late-clock creation could flip a couple of empty possessions into a real shift in the series.
Detroit’s postseason push is moving quicker than anything the franchise’s seen in years. The Pistons got past Orlando in seven games for their first series victory in 18 years. Cunningham? He averaged 32.4 points over the series, then dropped 32 points and handed out 12 assists to close it out.
Cunningham tacked Cleveland onto the streak during Games 1 and 2. Game 3 didn’t break the pattern. What it did do: put the Cavaliers back in the conversation.
