Overview
- Cleveland evened the series 2-2 with a 112-103 win on Monday, breaking Game 4 open with a 22-0 burst to start the third quarter.
- Donovan Mitchell scored 39 in the second half and 43 overall, tying the NBA playoff record for points in a half, as James Harden added 24 points and 11 assists and Evan Mobley stacked five blocks and three steals.
- Following Monday’s swing game, the matchup returns to Detroit on Wednesday night, where the home team has won all four games and the Cavaliers are still seeking their first road win of the postseason.
- Officiating looms as a subplot after Detroit coach J. B. Bickerstaff said the whistle changed in Cleveland, with the Cavs shooting 34 free throws to the Pistons’ 12 in Game 4 and Mitchell alone attempting 15.
- Injury reports list Detroit’s Duncan Robinson (back), Kevin Huerter (adductor) and Caris LeVert (heel) as questionable for Game 5, while Cleveland reports no injuries.