Overview
- Cleveland erased a nine-point deficit in the final minutes Wednesday to beat Detroit 117-113 in overtime and take a 3-2 series lead.
- Game 6 is Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Cleveland on Prime Video, where the Cavaliers can clinch a conference finals berth and the Pistons face elimination.
- The NBA’s official two-minute and overtime report backed the crew’s calls and non-calls in Game 5, including the late Jarrett Allen–Ausar Thompson loose-ball sequence.
- James Harden led Cleveland with 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Evan Mobley neared a triple-double, and Cade Cunningham scored 39 for Detroit but had six turnovers as the Pistons’ late-game offense stalled; Jalen Duren was benched for the fourth quarter and OT while Paul Reed produced in limited minutes.
- Oklahoma City, idle after a second-round sweep, will open the West finals May 18 if San Antonio finishes its series in Game 6 or May 20 if Minnesota forces Game 7, creating a 7–9 day rest window that could aid Jalen Williams’ Grade 1 hamstring recovery, which typically takes about one to two weeks.