The Cleveland Cavaliers moved to within one win of the Eastern Conference Finals after a dramatic 117-113 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, taking a 3-2 series lead. But the win came amid grave concern for star guard Donovan Mitchell, who rolled his right ankle in the first quarter after apparent contact with a courtside photographer.
Injury scare for Mitchell
Mitchell hit a right-handed layup near the end of the opening period in Detroit and appeared to step on the shoe of a cameraman seated along the baseline as he attempted to get back on defence. Replays showed slight contact between the two. The guard, known as “Spida”, immediately tumbled to the hardwood in visible agony, writhing with his eyes firmly shut and a balled fist pressed against his forehead. Teammates helped him to his feet, and he remained in the contest.
The incident is not isolated in NBA history. There have been multiple instances of players colliding with courtside personnel and equipment, including LeBron James in the 2015 Finals and Tony Parker injuring his finger on a photographer’s camera. The league has introduced measures over the years to increase safety lanes and limit the number of photographers courtside, though concerns persist.
Despite the injury, Mitchell stayed on the floor. He made just three field goals over the second, third and fourth quarters combined, but came alive in overtime, scoring seven crucial points — a floater, a layup and a pull-up three-pointer — to seal the victory. He finished with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Mitchell’s resilience came after a historic performance in Game 4 of this series, when he scored 43 points, including 39 in the second half — tying a playoff single-half scoring record — having reportedly apologised to his teammates before his second-half surge.
Cavaliers rally from 15-point deficit
The Cavaliers trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half and were down 103-94 with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. A late 13-0 run, capped by a pair of Evan Mobley free throws, tied the game at 103 and forced overtime. “That stretch right there says a lot about our progress — mental performance progress and mental toughness progress,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. Atkinson took over at Cleveland on 28 June 2024 after previous head coaching roles with the Brooklyn Nets and as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors.
The final sequence of regulation was mired in controversy. With the score tied, Pistons forward Ausar Thompson appeared to be tripped by Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen while both chased a loose ball. Officials did not call a foul. Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who was hired by the Pistons on 3 July 2024 after previous stints with the Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies, was incensed. “He fouled Ausar — clearly,” Bickerstaff said. “He tripped him when he was going for a loose ball.” Crew chief Tony Brothers explained that the contact was deemed “incidental” because both players were actively pursuing the ball and neither had possession. The league office will review the play.
In overtime, Mitchell’s three-pointer gave Cleveland an insurmountable seven-point lead with 2:39 to play. Pistons star Cade Cunningham — who finished with 39 points, nine rebounds and seven assists — hit a jumper to cut the deficit to two with 25 seconds left. But James Harden sealed the win on the ensuing possession by rebounding his own missed free throw. Harden finished with 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Max Strus added 20 points and eight boards. Mobley recorded 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Series lead and Game 6
The victory marked the Cavaliers’ first road win of the postseason. They now lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Friday in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers are undefeated in the playoffs this year. The Pistons entered the series as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Historically, the Cavaliers have won the last three playoff series against the Pistons and hold a 17-8 record in postseason meetings between the teams.
Allen’s involvement in the no-call was notable given a prior incident: on 5 February 2025, he was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Thompson during a regular-season game.
Mitchell, now averaging 29.1 points per game this postseason and 28.1 over 74 career playoff games, has been central to Cleveland’s charge. Cunningham, averaging 30.0 points in the 2025-26 playoffs and 28.3 over 16 career postseason games, led a valiant Detroit effort. The Pistons’ odds of winning the NBA Finals have significantly decreased following the loss.
“It wasn’t our best night offensively, but I think that’s what speaks volumes to getting this win was we found a way,” Strus said.
