Mitchell’s 35 and Harden’s late barrage hold off Cade’s triple-double

Cleveland doesn’t exactly pull away early, but it controls the biggest moments and that’s what matters in a 116-109 win over Detroit. The Cavaliers build a 17-point cushion at one point and then spend much of the night fending off Cade Cunningham and a Pistons team that keeps finding answers. In the end, Donovan Mitchell’s 35-point eruption and James Harden’s late shotmaking are enough to survive Cunningham’s 27-point triple-double and secure a hard-fought home win.

The first quarter sets the tone for the night’s back-and-forth feel. Detroit grabs a 18-13 edge, but Cleveland responds with a 9-0 run to flip the game, capped by Jarrett Allen’s driving finger roll layup off a Darius Schröder feed to make it 21-20. From there, the Cavs lean on their size and rim pressure. Allen keeps working inside, and Cleveland pushes the lead to 64-48 by halftime after an 8-0 burst that includes Allen cutting for a dunk off a Mitchell assist. That sequence matters because it shows the Cavs not just winning with jumpers, but forcing Detroit to defend at the rim.

Detroit’s best punch comes in the third, and it nearly turns the night. Down 74-64, the Pistons rip off a 13-0 run to surge ahead 76-74, with Paul Reed’s putback dunk punctuating the swing. For a moment, Cleveland looks shaken. But Mitchell steadies everything. He answers with an 8-foot pullup jump shot to spark a 9-0 Cleveland run that pushes the Cavs back in front 83-76, and from there the game becomes a shot-for-shot duel. Mitchell keeps the pressure on all night, finishing with 35 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists while repeatedly creating separation in the midrange and at the rim.

The fourth quarter turns into a real closing stretch, even if the score never fully gets away from Detroit. At 3:23 left, Allen’s putback dunk gives Cleveland a 104-101 lead, and just seconds later Duncan Robinson — who quietly has a huge defensive impact with five steals — buries a 27-footer to tie it at 104. But Cleveland has more answers. Max Strus jumps a passing lane for a steal, then races out for a running layup to put the Cavs back up 106-104. Jarrett Allen adds another steal, and Harden takes over the final minutes with veteran shotmaking: a 15-foot step-back, then a 6-foot driving floater, then the killer 25-foot step-back three with 25.9 seconds left to make it 113-109. Detroit gets the Cunningham dagger attempt in the form of a 28-foot pullup triple that trims the margin to one with 50.2 seconds left, but Cleveland slams the door from there.

Cunningham deserves the respect he earned. He posts a 27-point triple-double with 10 rebounds and 10 assists, and Detroit never backs down because of him. Tobias Harris adds 21, and Cunningham’s late pullup threes and downhill drives keep the Pistons alive into the final minute. But Cleveland’s overall shotmaking edge, plus the defensive plays from Strus, Allen, and LeVert, is the difference in a game that featured 15 lead changes and a lot of tense possessions. The Cavs don’t simply survive a test — they win it with execution when the floor shrinks.

For Cleveland, this is the kind of playoff-style win that matters in May: a statement about half-court creation, rim protection, and closing ability. Mitchell looked like the best player on the floor, Harden gave them the late-clock answers, and Allen’s energy on both ends helped swing the critical possessions. Detroit leaves with proof that Cunningham can carry a postseason-level workload, but the Pistons also leave knowing they still need a cleaner finish against elite shotmakers. The Cavs bank the win, keep the pressure on in the standings, and walk away with a reminder that when the game tightens, they have multiple ways to finish it.