ESPN Reporter Tells James Harden to Work on Free Throws After Game 5 Win

The Cleveland Cavaliers were staring at a loss with two minutes left in regulation. But they did not blink. James Harden finished with 30 points, eight rebounds, and six assists Wednesday night as Cleveland came back from a 15-point deficit to beat the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime, taking a 3-2 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

It was Harden’s best scoring night of the postseason and one of the better playoff performances Cleveland has gotten from any player this year.

Cade Cunningham gave Detroit every chance to stay alive. He finished with 39 points and nine assists and hit a jumper with 25 seconds left to cut it to two. That’s when Harden stepped up. He made one free throw, grabbed the offensive rebound after missing the second, and converted again to help put the game away. He went 11-for-14 from the line on the night.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden shoots on Detroit Pistons guard Caris LeVert.Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Mitchell had some thoughts on that after the final whistle. He told reporters to “talk to [Harden] about his missed [expletive] free throws.” ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters delivered that message directly during the on-court interview with Harden.

“Donovan said I should ask you about the missed free throws,” Salters told him before adding, “Work on your free throws.”

It was surely a playful moment. For a player who’s built his entire offensive identity around getting to the line, going 11-for-14 in an overtime playoff win is fine. What mattered more was everything else he brought.

Cavaliers Shut Down Pistons at the Right Moment

Harden controlled the tempo when Detroit was making noise, kept the ball moving and never let the moment get too big. The Pistons had the crowd and the momentum for stretches but Harden kept the Cavaliers calm.

Detroit controlled the game for most of the night. The Pistons were up 103-94 with just over two minutes left in regulation and looked locked in to force a Game 6 on their terms. Then Cleveland flipped a switch. Evan Mobley knocked down two free throws with 45.2 seconds remaining to tie it at 103 and send the game to overtime.

What followed was as one-sided as it gets. The Cavaliers held Detroit scoreless for five straight minutes spanning the fourth quarter and overtime, turning what looked like a loss into a commanding position. Donovan Mitchell drilled a three-pointer with 2:39 left in OT to push Cleveland up seven, and the Pistons never fully recovered. Mitchell finished with 21 points on the night.

The series now heads back to Cleveland for Game 6 on Friday night. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers will have their first chance to close it out and set up a matchup with the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Tags: