{"id":441416,"date":"2026-05-14T14:05:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/441416\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T14:05:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:05:17","slug":"starting-5-cavs-go-up-3-2-after-furious-rally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/441416\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5: Cavs go up 3-2 after furious rally"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cavs go on a improbable 23-10 run in final 8 minutes to take Game 5 and a 3-2 series lead over the Pistons on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Harden after halftime, Spida in OT.<\/p>\n

A 23-10 closeout earned the Cavs their first road win of these Playoffs, and a chance to advance at home.<\/p>\n

\"Donovan<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

Road Rally: Harden handled the comeback, Spida starred late and the Cavs\u2019 first road win has them up 3-2<\/p>\n

Closers & Co: How Evan Mobley, Max Strus and the Cavs\u2019 cast stepped up to steal Game 5<\/p>\n

Fearless Spurs: Wemby & San Antonio rising under Playoff pressure, eye West Finals<\/p>\n

Wolves\u2019 Fire: Edwards, veteran Wolves ready for another elimination duel<\/p>\n

Eagles Eyes: NBA.com\u2019s Jeff Zillgitt on the wit and expertise of Playoff voices Ian & Noah Eagle<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

\"Scores<\/p>\n

After no games tonight, Friday delivers a Prime doubleheader with two Game 6s, as the Cavs and Spurs (both up 3-2) look to advance to their respective Conference Finals.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, NBA TV\u2019s coverage<\/a> of the 2026 NBA Draft Combine continues today from Chicago, beginning at 2 ET with live scrimmages. AWS Draft Combine Hub<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Playoff<\/p>\n

1. CAVS\u2019 RALLY FORCES OT, GIVES THEM 3-2 LEAD HEADED HOME<\/p>\n

\"[<\/p>\n

Three minutes left.<\/p>\n

Detroit up nine.<\/p>\n

Staring down a 3-2 series deficit late Wednesday night, the Cavs had one more run left in them.<\/p>\n

James Harden (27 pts at that point) had been in his bag all night. Donovan Mitchell, with 12 pts at that point, was ready to pop.<\/p>\n

Five minutes of overtime later, Cleveland heads home up 3-2.<\/p>\n

Cavaliers 117, Pistons 113 (OT): Harden (30 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast<\/a>) got busy offensively and Mitchell (21 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) strung together buckets late as the East\u2019s No. 4 seed moved within one win of its first East Finals berth since 2018.<\/p>\n

Cade Cunningham finished with a game-high 39 points, one game after recording 19 in Game 4. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Donovan<\/p>\n

Cleveland Catchup: Mitchell sank the Cavs\u2019 first bucket inside 3 minutes to go before Evan Mobley (19 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast, 3 blk) scored seven straight points to force a 103-103 tie and overtime
\nRolling On The Road: The run didn\u2019t stop there, as Cleveland carried a 23-10 takeover<\/a> into OT. Mitchell scored 7 in OT, where the Cavs hit the first four field goals and led by as many as 7
\nFinishing Strong: In earning its first road W of these Playoffs, Cleveland is just the 4th team in the last 11 postseasons to win despite trailing by 9 or more in the last 3 minutes of regulation
\n\u201cThat was a battle-tested win,\u201d Kenny Atkinson said of the Cavs\u2019 resilience. \u201cI think you build mental toughness with games like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harden scored 17 of his 30 after halftime, getting to the line six times in OT and controlling the pace with poise in his 185th career postseason game.<\/p>\n

\"James<\/p>\n

Beard\u2019s Milestone: Harden notched his first game this postseason with 30 or more points, marking the 50th such performance of his illustrious career
\nElite Company: He owns the 4th-most outings with 30-plus points since his Playoff debut in 2012, trailing LeBron James (83), Kevin Durant (69) and Stephen Curry (60)
\n\u201cHe never waivers,\u201d Atkinson said on Harden\u2019s performance. \u201cHe\u2019s seen so much, been through so many of these series. He\u2019s a heck of a leader.\u201d<\/p>\n

History looks kindly upon the Cavaliers\u2019 situation: they\u2019re 9-1 all-time when winning Game 5 of a 2-2 series, with the only defeat coming in 2006 against \u2026 the Pistons.<\/p>\n

Now with a first road victory under their belt, the Cavs return to Rocket Arena on Friday for Game 6 (7 ET, Prime), where they\u2019re 6-0 this postseason.<\/p>\n

2. CAVS\u2019 CAST: STRUS, MOBLEY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN GAME 5<\/p>\n

\"Evan<\/p>\n

James Harden down the stretch. Donovan Mitchell in overtime.<\/p>\n

Just like in Games 3 and 4, and just like they drew it up at the trade deadline, Cleveland\u2019s superstars shined in Wednesday\u2019s win.<\/p>\n

But the Cavs\u2019 other three on the floor in crunch time came up with winning plays that lifted the team into position to finish this series at home.<\/p>\n

The Slam, The Spark: In the 3rd, a Jarrett Allen (16 pts, 10 reb) alley-oop sparked a 9-2 Cavs run to erase Detroit\u2019s largest lead (15 pts)
\nMobley Momentum: Evan Mobley (19 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast) attacked the Pistons\u2019 frontcourt after that, netting the Cavs\u2019 final 5 points in the 3rd to push their lead to 84-80, and the final 7 of the 4th to force OT
\n\u201cI thought they were incredibly aggressive on both ends of the floor,\u201d Robin Lopez shared<\/a> on NBA TV\u2019s \u201cThe Association\u201d of Cleveland\u2019s big-man duo\u00a0
\nMax Effort: After a Mitchell 3 to go up two possessions midway through OT, Max Strus (20 pts, 8 reb, 6 3s) stripped Cade Cunningham and hit Spida for 5 quick points in 10 seconds<\/a>, and Cleveland\u2019s largest lead, 112-105<\/p>\n

\"Evan<\/p>\n

Cleveland stayed with Allen, Mobley and Strus when it mattered most, with the trio playing all but 26 seconds of overtime.<\/p>\n

Scoring Support: The three combined for 16 of Cleveland\u2019s 32 3rd-quarter points to retake the lead, and 10 of the team\u2019s 19 points in the 4th to force OT
\nRunning Mate: Mobley matched Spida\u2019s 9 points in the Cavs\u2019 23-10 run that closed out the 4th and won overtime, while helping hold Detroit to 4-of-17 shooting
\nGame of Margins: Outside of shooting percentages, Cleveland\u2019s sole advantages came in defensive rebounds (31-25) and bench points (31-27). Mobley (7) and Strus (6) led in rebounds, and Strus had 20 of the 31 bench points<\/p>\n

\"Max<\/p>\n

When asked for a play or player that stood out in the comeback win, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson didn\u2019t need to wait for the end of the question:<\/p>\n

\u201cMax Strus\u2019s steal \u2026 that just came out of nowhere \u2026 the crowd, like, gasped. Huge play. He made so many winning plays tonight, but that was the big one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cResiliency. Grit. It took everything we had,\u201d said Strus, who splashed a Playoff career-high six 3s. \u201cPossession by possession, wearing them down, and finding ways to win.\u201d
\n\u201cBig shoutout to Max Strus and Evan Mobley,\u201d Mitchell told the \u201cInside The NBA\u201d crew. \u201cWe\u2019re not in this position without those two guys doing what they did at the end of the game.\u201d The locker room agreed<\/a><\/p>\n

3. FRIDAY ON PRIME: WEMBY & YOUNG SPURS EYE WEST FINALS BERTH<\/p>\n

\"Stephon<\/p>\n

Playoff basketball forces\u00a0young teams to grow.<\/p>\n

Every possession gets more physical. Every mistake gets magnified. Every response reveals something new about who a contender really is.<\/p>\n

On Friday (9:30 ET, Prime), the Spurs head to Minnesota up 3-2 and are one win from their first West Finals berth since 2017, all while Victor Wembanyama and company continue to learn those lessons in real time.<\/p>\n

As former NBA player C.J. Miles writes, that growth has become part of the story behind San Antonio\u2019s Playoff push:<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a reason why this Spurs team looks so fearless.<\/p>\n

Young, yes. Inexperienced, yes. Scared? No.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re reminding everyone that you don\u2019t have to force expansion. The game will reveal the next layer when it\u2019s time. And that\u2019s the beauty of watching Wemby evolve.<\/p>\n

Every NBA player carries their own question and the game answers it, especially in the Playoffs. This is when we can see how they develop and sharpen their games in real time. | Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

4. BACKS AGAINST THE WALL AGAIN, CAN WOLVES KEEP SEASON ALIVE?<\/p>\n

\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Pressure has become part of Minnesota\u2019s Playoff DNA.<\/p>\n

The bigger the moment, the more comfortable the Wolves seem to get.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s why Anthony Edwards didn\u2019t flinch just minutes after Minnesota\u2019s 126-97 loss in Game 5 put it in a 3-2 hole.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see nobody in the locker room that\u2019s too worried,\u201d said Edwards of facing elimination. \u201cYou come out, put your boots on, and get ready to go to war.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nobody embodies Minnesota\u2019s confidence in these moments more than Edwards, who\u2019s built a reputation for delivering when the pressure peaks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the Wolves\u2019 composure in these moments didn\u2019t appear overnight \u2013 it\u2019s been forged through two straight postseasons battling through the West\u2019s best.<\/p>\n

Same Spot: After knocking off Kevin Durant\u2019s Suns in the First Round of 2024, the Wolves faced a 3-2 hole against Nikola Joki\u0107 and the defending champion Nuggets in the West Semis
\nFirst Breakthrough: Minnesota answered with a Game 6 win at home, then stormed back in Game 7 in Denver to reach its first West Finals in 20 years
\nAnother Gauntlet: In 2025, Edwards led the Wolves past LeBron James\u2019 Lakers and the Warriors to return to the West Finals, where they fell to the eventual champion Thunder<\/p>\n

\"Minnesota<\/p>\n

Now comes another test: beating Wemby\u2019s Spurs for a fifth time this season \u2013 something no other team has managed even four times \u2013 to force a Game 7.<\/p>\n

And while Edwards has shined in elimination games \u2013 averaging 26.5 points, 7 boards and 5.6 assists across eight career outings \u2013 another dynamic Wolves player could be the key to extending Minnesota\u2019s season:<\/p>\n

Jaden McDaniels.<\/p>\n

Defense Wins: In its six Playoff wins, Minnesota has held its opponents to 42.3% shooting and 28.9% from 3
\nThe Difference: In its five Playoff losses, Minnesota\u2019s opponents have shot 49.8% from the field and 35.5% from deep
\nDeep Impact: That includes a 37.5% 3-point mark from San Antonio in its three wins over Minny, in which the Spurs outscored the Wolves 117-96 from beyond the arc<\/p>\n

\"Jaden<\/p>\n

Enter McDaniels, the Wolves\u2019 primary perimeter stopper.<\/p>\n

With him on the floor this series, Minnesota owns a 109.9 DefRtg. With him off it, that number spikes to 122.4 \u2013 12.5 points worse \u2013 while the Wolves\u2019 net rating drops to -20.7.<\/p>\n

That impact showed in Game 5, when McDaniels played just five 3rd-quarter minutes because of foul trouble. With him on the bench, the Spurs closed the frame on a 25-12 run \u2013 and never looked back.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything starts with Jaden McDaniels, trying to keep him out of foul trouble,\u201d said Edwards after Game 5
\n\u201cHe\u2019s so important to the team \u2026 if we can do that, we give ourselves a great chance to win the ballgame.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. FATHER TO SON: IAN AND NOAH EAGLE MAKE THEIR MARK ON NBA PLAYOFFS<\/p>\n

\"Ian<\/p>\n

LeBron to Bronny James wasn\u2019t the only father-son first<\/a> of this NBA Playoffs.<\/p>\n

Fittingly, on the call for the league\u2019s first postseason father-son assist was Ian Eagle, a long-time NBA voice who\u2019s working his first Playoffs for Prime Video \u2013 and first opposite his son, Noah, on the national stage.<\/p>\n

Ian and Noah Eagle bring plenty of fun into their well-informed broadcasts, as one NBA legend can attest:<\/p>\n

Grant Hill is in a unique position. During the NCAA men\u2019s basketball season, he is an analyst with Bill Raftery while Ian Eagle handles play-by-play. During the NBA games, Hill fills the same role alongside Noah on NBC\/Peacock.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 I don\u2019t even know how he does it, how either one of them does it, because they do a lot. The depth, the information, the research \u2013 that is crucial to their success.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can certainly talk about the wit, the humor, the understanding of pop culture and their ability to weave that into the broadcast. But the technical part of the craft, they\u2019re just very disciplined in terms of calling the game and being prepared for anything and everything.\u201d | Read More from NBA.com\u2019s Jeff Zillgitt<\/a><\/p>\n

Want to share\u00a0Starting\u00a05\u00a0with a friend?\u00a0Send them this link<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Shape the Starting 5.\u00a0\u00a0Email us here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t have the NBA App? Download it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n