Donovan Mitchell’s 43-Point masterpiece powers Cavaliers past Pistons in game 4
Donovan Mitchell’s 43-Point masterpiece powers Cavaliers past Pistons in game 4 originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Cleveland Cavaliers leaned on a superstar performance from Donovan Mitchell to defeat the Detroit Pistons 112-103 in Game 4 on Monday night, evening the series as it shifts back to Detroit.
Mitchell delivered one of the best playoff performances of his career, finishing with 43 points, including an incredible 39 in the second half. Whenever Cleveland needed a basket, Mitchell answered, taking complete control of the game after halftime and silencing Detroit’s momentum.
The Cavaliers came out firing early. Cleveland jumped to a quick 14-5 lead behind a scorching start from James Harden , who scored 11 early points while knocking down two three-pointers and creating havoc defensively with a pair of steals. The fast start gave Rocket Arena plenty of energy and appeared to put Detroit on its heels.
However, the momentum quickly shifted once Harden headed to the bench and Cleveland’s offense cooled off dramatically. Detroit capitalized behind strong shot-making from Tobias Harris and Caris LeVert . LeVert was especially effective in the opening half, scoring 17 of his team-high 24 points before halftime while shooting 7-for-12 from the floor.
Cavaliers even series with Pistons
Detroit carried that momentum into the locker room with a 56-52 halftime lead despite battling Cleveland’s aggressive pace and physicality throughout the first two quarters.
The Pistons briefly looked poised to take complete control early in the third quarter after Harris opened the half with quality scoring opportunities. But Mitchell immediately shifted the momentum with a floater to open Cleveland’s scoring in the period. From there, the Cavaliers star erupted.
Over the next several minutes, Mitchell completely took over the contest, attacking the rim, hitting contested jumpers, and controlling the tempo offensively. Detroit struggled to contain him as Cleveland slowly rebuilt its advantage and eventually pulled away late.
Now tied 2-2, the series heads back to Detroit with momentum firmly on Cleveland’s side thanks to Mitchell’s unforgettable second-half explosion.
