After winning the first two home games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Detroit Pistons had a chance to take a decisive 3-0 lead in the series. Instead, the Cleveland Cavaliers made a statement, showing some life as they rallied to victory with their season on the line.
The final score (116-109) was the result of multiple factors, but, to put it simply, the Pistons were just outplayed when it mattered most. Specifically, it was veteran guard James Harden who spelled their doom, going off for seven straight points in the clutch to carry his team to victory. After the final buzzer, young star Cade Cunningham took to the stand, where he gave a mature and calculated response to the defeat that broke their five-game playoff win streak.
“We let them let them get to their stuff a little too freely,” said Cunningham.”In the third quarter, I thought we did a lot better job until the end of the fourth, when they kind of got back to it. But that third quarter was really good as far as executing what we’ve been doing.”
Despite the loss, there’s a lot to feel good about in this series if you’re Detroit. For starters, Cade Cunningham is looking as sharp as ever coming off his performance tonight: 27 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, one steal, and zero blocks on 37.0% shooting and 33.3% shooting from three. As a team, the Pistons are still up 2-1, and they could have easily won Game 3 if they had just contained James Harden down the stretch.
“There’s definitely optimism,” Cade added. “We feel great about where we’re at. We feel great about the way we’re playing basketball. … We’ll execute better and pull these games out in the future. Tough one, obviously, we wish we had grabbed this one. It is what it is, learn from it.”
The Pistons have already faced plenty of adversity in this postseason. In the previous series, they were down 3-1 against the Orlando Magic, and they had to fight their way back from the brink to keep their season alive. So, going into this series, the Pistons did not expect a sweep. Against a talented Cavaliers squad with so much to prove, they knew there would be some resistance sooner or later.
The key for the Pistons is to respond appropriately and not allow the Cavaliers to build up their rhythm even further. They still have control of the series, but things would change quickly if they lose Game 4 and manage to drop into a 2-2 tie with the Cavs. That’s why they have to use the remaining downtime to clean up their mistakes and adjust the game plan to maximize their advantages.
The important thing is that the Pistons are not panicking. They will trust in their group and in the formula that led them to 60 regular-season wins. With their star point guard leading the way, the team is feeling optimistic about the series and their chances of advancing to the East Finals for the first time since 2008. The road won’t be easy, but the Pistons have come a long way, and there is no doubt that they are determined to finish the job.
