CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell tied an NBA playoff record with 39 points in the second half and the Cleveland Cavaliers evened their second-round series against the Detroit Pistons with a 112-103 victory Monday night.
Mitchell matched the mark of Eric “Sleepy” Floyd on a free throw with 27.6 seconds remaining. He had a chance to break the record, set in 1987 against the Los Angeles Lakers, but missed his second foul shot.
Mitchell finished with 43 points, including 15 during Cleveland’s 24-0 run that went from the last 12 seconds of the first half to the first six minutes of the third quarter. Cleveland trailed 56-52 at halftime before taking control.
The 24-0 run was the longest in an NBA playoff game since since Minnesota also scored 24 straight in Game 6 of its Western Conference semifinal series against Denver in 2024. It was also the longest spurt by Cleveland in a postseason game since play-by-play stats were kept in 1997-98. The previous high was 19 in an Eastern semifinal series contest against Boston.
James Harden had his 40th playoff double-double with 24 points and 11 assists. Evan Mobley had 17 points, five blocked shots and three steals as Cleveland remained unbeaten at home in six playoff games.
Caris LeVert had a season high 24 points for Detroit. Cade Cunningham scored 19, the first time he has been held under 20 in 11 playoff games this season, and Tobias Harris added 16.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Detroit.
THUNDER 115, LAKERS 110
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, Chet Holmgren made a tiebreaking dunk with 32.8 seconds to play, and Oklahoma City swept Los Angeles out of the second round of the NBA playoffs with a victory in Game 4.
Ajay Mitchell scored 10 of his 28 points in the frantic final period as the Thunder overcame the Lakers’ tenacious effort and improved to 8-0 in the playoffs with their toughest victory of the postseason.
LeBron James had 24 points and 14 rebounds in the final game of the unprecedented 23rd season for the top scorer in NBA history, but he missed a driving bank shot with 20 seconds left that would have put the Lakers ahead.
The 41-year-old James has repeatedly said he hasn’t decided whether to play next season, so there was no ceremony or momentousness around this game. Instead, the Lakers desperately tried to extend their year, only to lose to Oklahoma City for the eighth time this season.
Austin Reaves scored 27 points before missing a tying 3-point attempt with eight seconds left for the Lakers, who advanced one round farther than almost anybody expected after losing NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic and Reaves to significant injuries a month ago.
If this is indeed it for LeBron James, give him credit for one thing: he was unprecedented, even until the very end.
The Oklahoma City Thunder unceremoniously swept James’ Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, May 11 in the conference semifinal round in what might be the final game of James’ storied 23-year career. James has not revealed his future plans, but will turn 42 in December and has been more vulnerable recently about how basketball is affecting his body.
James also has nothing more to prove.
What he did this year had never been seen before. Not only did he start all 60 games he played during the regular season (adding 10 more in the postseason), he rewrote the standard for what’s possible for players 40 and older.
In the 46 games he played after turning 41 on Dec. 30, he averaged 21.1 points, 7.3 assists and 6.4 rebounds per contest. Compare that scoring figure with the next closest player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged just 10.5 points per game after his 41st birthday.
Take this postseason: even though the Lakers fell well short of their objectives, they were missing All-Star Luka Dončić. And for much of L.A.’s first-round series against the Rockets, Austin Reaves was out, too.
That meant that the Lakers' hopes instantly fell squarely on James, who responded by averaging 23.2 points in the playoffs. Simply put: there has been no other player in history to be so consistently reliable this this stage of a career.
Even in Monday night’s Game 4 loss, James chiseled away to a steady 24 points on 8-of-18 shooting, adding 12 rebounds and 3 assists.
Frankly, that claim could be stretched to his entire career.
James has been available throughout his playing days at a near absurd level. Not only has he avoided major injury, his 61,030 regular season minutes are an all-time record and come out to 42.4 days.
He also entered Monday night with 12,405 playoff minutes, another all-time record.
Forget the discussions about where James ranks compared with Jordan or Kobe or Kareem or Wilt because those conversations tend to be reductive and difficult to quantify.
What’s undeniable is that James has been the premier player of this generation — a 22-time All-Star and four-time Most Valuable Player who won four championships with three different teams. If this was his last game, he was an ambassador of the sport and he elevated the play of his teammates. He outworked his competition and stayed in peak physical condition. He stayed out of controversy and enriched the communities in which he played.
James did have his detractors, as all great players do. But if this was in fact his last game, appreciate the production and longevity. Appreciate the commitment to the sport. Because like Jordan, like Kobe, like Kareem and like Wilt, there will never be another LeBron James.
Dillon Brooks, the Phoenix Suns wing, enforcer, villain and LeBron James pest, was spotted sitting courtside at Crypto.com Arena with a smile on his face as the Lakers entered halftime trailing 49-45. The 30-year-old, fresh off getting swept against the Thunder in the first round, apparently couldn't help but get out to LA to watch his nemesis possibly meet the same fate in the second round.
Brooks and James have a history dating back to the first round of the 2023 playoffs, when he openly taunted the NBA's all-time leading scorer as the two exchanged verbal jabs in the media and got into a confrontation during Game 3, with Brooks later taking jabs at James' age.
"I don't care. He's old. You know what I mean?" Brooks, then with the Memphis Grizzlies, told reporters at the time. "I was waiting for that. I was expecting him to do that [in] Game 4, Game 5. He wanted to say something when I got my fourth foul. He should have been saying that earlier on. But I poke bears. I don't respect no one until they come and give me 40."
After the Lakers took that series in six games, James took to Instagram.
"If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear," James wrote in his caption. "HELP THE BEAR."
The two were at it again this past December, when Brooks told reporters that James "likes people that bow down. I don't bow down."
The Mets are desperate, obviously. They had to try something, anything to give angry fans a reason to cling to any sort of hope at Citi Field as a six-game homestand opens Tuesday night. Or, in truth, a reason not to boo from the jump.
So here come A.J. Ewing, and under ordinary circumstances David Stearns wouldn’t be calling up a 21-year old kid with all of 12 games at Triple-A under his belt. But under these circumstances it’s the right move to make, and not just because Stearns knows that fans want to run him out of town.
That is, it’s right because Ewing might just have the game to make it pay dividends.
At least that’s the opinion of scouts I’ve spoken to, before and after Monday night’s decision, via sources, to call up Ewing.
“If you’re looking for a spark, like they are, he’s got the game to bring energy,” one scout told me Monday night. “He’s got great speed. He’ll steal a base, he’ll make a diving play. He gets really good jumps in the outfield -- he’s a natural in center field.
“Whether he’ll hit major league pitching right away, that’s always the toughest thing to project. But he’s got the tools for it. His swing is short and quick to the ball, and he has a knack for fouling off pitches to keep at-bats alive until he gets a pitch he can handle. He adapted quickly to Triple-A pitching, so I wouldn’t bet against him.”
As the Mets’ fourth-round pick out of high school in Ohio in the 2023 MLB Draft, the left-handed-hitting Ewing has exceeded projections as he has excelled offensively and moved up quickly in the minors.
Last season Ewing moved up two levels as he put up numbers, finishing the season in Double A, where he hit .339 in 28 games. He began this year in Double A and was hitting .349 with a 1.051 OPS after 18 games, forcing his way to Triple-A as he began to show power in addition to his contact skills.
He was hitting everything his first week in Triple-A, and though he cooled recently, he was still hitting .326 with a .392 on-base percentage at the time of his call-up, with five stolen bases -- and never caught stealing.
In short, he profiles as an obvious leadoff hitter, and you’d have to think he’ll be in that spot on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers, which would allow Carlos Mendoza to slide Juan Soto back to the No. 2 or 3 spot, especially considering Soto has been slumping since being moved to leadoff himself.
“He’s got leadoff skills,” a second scout said of Ewing. “He gets into deep counts because he fouls off tough pitches and doesn’t chase a lot, but he’ll see a different caliber of pitching now, and that’s always the X factor, especially for someone making the jump so quickly.
“He could use more at-bats in Triple-A, where you usually see more spin, better command than you do in Double-A. So it’s not ideal, rushing him to the big leagues, but I understand why they’re doing it. He’s got a good approach, and he’s short and quick to the ball, which gives him an advantage over a lot of guys as far as having immediate success.”
Indeed, Ewing has made an impression with his ability to adapt at every level of the minors and continue to improve his offensive game.
For example, he recently made a huge jump in Baseball America’s ranking of prospects throughout the minors. He moved from No. 83 to the No. 37 overall prospect, based on the way he was tearing it up early this season.
After what Ewing did last season, the Mets were convinced he was keeper. Still, they weren’t thinking he’d be at Citi Field this soon, considering they made the gamble to trade for injury-prone Luis Robert, who is currently on the IL -- surprise, surprise.
In any case, I got a sense of just how high the Mets were on Ewing during spring training. I happened to be talking with a Mets’ person in the seats behind home plate when Ewing came to bat late in the first game of the Grapefruit League season.
The bases were loaded with one out the time and Ewing worked a long at-bat, fouling off a few pitches before hitting a fly ball to center field, deep enough to score a run with a sacrifice fly.
“I love that at-bat,” the Mets’ person said. “He’s up there grinding, just trying to put the ball in play to get the run in, like he’s in a pennant race. He plays the game that way. He’s going to be our center fielder at some point.”
The person who was speaking certainly didn’t expect it to be just a few months later, in mid-May. Nobody did. Ewing is getting a chance only because Stearns couldn’t stand by and watch the season crumble without trying something.
And logic says it’s too soon. Yet Ewing’s fast rise through the minors, with success at every level, says maybe it’s not.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 5: Ryan Rolison #33 of the Chicago Cubs reacts in a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field on May 5, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s another week here at BCB After Dark: the hippest hangout for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us for a while. We’re always open for a friendly face. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We still have a few tables available. There’s a two-drink minimum, but it’s bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last week I asked you if you would like the Cubs to trade for an injured Tarik Skubal on the hope that he would be healthy and his old dominant self by the playoffs. That idea seemed too risky for you, as 88 percent of you would rather the Cubs look elsewhere for starting pitching help. Presumably someone who was healthy at the time the deal was made.
Here’s the part where we listen to jazz and talk movies. You’re free to skip ahead if you want.
Tonight we’re featuring one of those fun Postmodern Jukebox videos. Postmodern Jukebox is the creation of pianist Scott Bradlee and here he’s joined by Gunhild Carling on vocals and trumpet and Aaron McLendon on drums.
This is ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” performed as a 1920s hot jazz number.
Dillinger was the surprise hit film of 1945 from Poverty Row studio Monogram Pictures. Directed by German exile Max Nosseck and starring a then-unknown Lawrence Tierney, Dillinger is a throwback to the gangster films of a decade earlier. The film received a Oscar-nomination for Best Screenplay for screenwriter Philip Yordan, but the script is nowhere near the best part of the film. Instead, Tierney’s cold and psychopathic portrayal of John Dillinger is what makes the film.
Monogram Pictures was one of the many, and arguably the most-successful, of the many small independent movie studios outside of the major or “Big Five” studios during the Golden Age of Hollywood. These studios specialized in churning out cheap films, often with lurid subject matter, that could turn a small profit even if they weren’t big hits. Dillinger broke out of that B-movie ghetto and became a huge hit in 1945, which led to more films from Monogram and producers the King Brothers that dealt with sensationalist themes. Its success also led to the Hays Code banning films made about real-life criminals for fear that they glamourized them.
The King Brothers never had any money to pay actors, but in this case, they wanted an unknown face, believing that the public wouldn’t accept a well-known actor as the infamous John Dillinger. They landed on Lawrence Tierney, who had only a few small credits to his name when he got the part. Tierney had spent more time in the Los Angeles County jail for fighting and being drunk and disorderly than he’d spent on-screen. But it was an inspired choice. I’m not sure what Tierney does on screen is acting so much as it is inhabiting the screen with a glowering presence. His Dillinger is a cold-blooded killer who shows no emotion when he decides to shoot one of his fellow outlaws or carve up a waiter who disrespected him years earlier with a broken beer mug. Ironically, it’s the lack of on-screen emotion that makes Tierney’s Dillinger so scary.
Tierney would go on to have a long career playing violent tough guys in crime pictures. Most of you probably remember him from his later work, which includes Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino was unsurprisingly a fan) and guest appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.
The plot of Dillinger very loosely follows the career of the title gangster. He does crimes, gets arrested, breaks out, does more crimes again. He has a girlfriend Helen Rogers (Anne Jeffreys) who will become the infamous “woman in red” who betrays him. There’s a gang, and Dillinger’s relationship with the older Specs (Edmund Lowe) is a major theme of the film. Specs goes from a cellmate to a mentor to someone whom Dillinger battles for control of the gang once they get out. The always great Elisha Cook Jr. also plays one of the members of Dillinger’s gang.
Because Dillinger is about crime and came out in the heart of the noir period, some people claim that the film qualifies as a noir. But while there are some noir elements, it’s really a throwback to the gangster films of the 1930s. A man goes down a wicked path of crime and ends up paying the ultimate price is the story of The Public Enemy, Scarface, and Little Caesar. It’s a stretch to call Jeffrey’s Helen a femme fatale, even if she ends up betraying him. He pulls her into a life of crime rather than the other way around, for example. Most of the noir elements are just the way the film was shot with some of the trademark shadows and Dutch angles, but those were popular in a lot of films of the forties.
Another way that Dillinger reflects the gangster film tradition is that, in a cost-cutting move, they just re-use action scenes earlier crime pictures of the era, in particular director Fritz Lang’s 1937 film You Only Live Once. So there’s literally a different gangster film inside of this one.
Dillinger is a great example of how a low-budget film can turn a lack of money into an asset. The 70-minute runtime means that the plot has to be simple, tight and fast-moving. (That also meant that theaters could get in more showings of the film every night, bringing in even more money.) The lack of money for a big-name actor made them turn to Tierney, who is biggest reason to watch the film. Even the crime scenes that were reused from Lang were undoubtedly better than anything Nosseck could have shot.
Dillinger isn’t a great film. It’s Oscar-nomination aside, the script is more good rather than great. (Although looking at the other nominees, it’s a surprise it didn’t win.) But it’s certainly worth 70 minutes of your time just to see Tierney’s terrifying performance as John Dillinger.
Here’s the trailer for Dillinger.
Dillinger is on HBO Max, Watch TCM and there are free copies floating all over the internet as well. I believe it’s in the public domain.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.
Last year, the Cubs built a pretty good bullpen out of castoffs. Two big pieces were Brad Keller, whom the Cubs signed on a minor league deal, and Drew Pomeranz, whom the Cubs acquired from the Mariners after he opted out of his minor league deal with the Mariners.
Both of those players went and signed free agent contracts elsewhere. This year, the potential “scrap heap to scrap iron” reliever just might be southpaw Ryan Rolison. Rolison was a first-round pick of the Rockies out of Ole Miss in 2018, which has got to be a good news/bad news thing for a college pitcher. The good news is that you’re a first-round pick. The bad news is that they’re expecting you to pitch for the Rockies.
Rolison was a top-five prospect for Colorado, as you might expect from a first-round pick. Scouts weren’t enamored with his pure stuff which graded out as more average, but he got good grades for plus command and “pitchability,” or the ability to mix up his stuff to keep hitters off balance.
But Rolison battled injuries during his time with the Rockies, which included two shoulder surgeries and a broken finger. He finally made it to the majors last year, but by that time he’d been moved to the bullpen full-time. He also didn’t pitch well in Colorado, putting up a 7.02 ERA in 42.1 innings. Even for the Rockies, that’s bad.
This winter, Rolison got stuck in waiver wire purgatory. The Rockies designated him for assignment in November and they ended up trading him to the Braves for cash. The Braves tried to sneak him through waivers in December, but the White Sox claimed him. Then, just two days before Christmas, the White Sox designated him for assignment with the Cubs claiming him in early January.
Rolison made his Cubs debut on April 14 as the Cubs bullpen was decimated with injuries. But he only pitched one inning until April 24 when he pitched three scoreless innings in that dramatic comeback win over the Dodgers.
Since then, Rolison has gotten his name called more often from manager Craig Counsell. Not only did he get the win in that Dodgers game, he improved his record to 3-0 with wins in back-to-back games against the Reds. Rolison has an ERA of 4.00 even, most of which was earned in a game against the Diamondbacks where he gave up a three-run home run to Geraldo Perdomo. Not good, but he’s not the first one to mess up against Perdomo and he won’t be the last.
But can Rolison keep it up? This article by Matthew Trueblood argues that he (probably) can. For one, Rolison has added about 1.3 miles per hour on to his fastball this year and it features a bit more vertical rise. But the more interesting point that Trueblood makes is that Rolison is uniquely qualified to take advantage of the new strike zone this year. As others have noted, the strike zone as called by ABS is slightly smaller than what had been called in previous years. In particular, there is less room at the top of the zone. Trueblood argues Rolison’s command and movement allows him to work the top of the zone better than a lot of pitchers out there.
Now maybe that’s true and maybe it isn’t. You can read the article and make up your mind for yourself. But tonight I’m asking you if you think that Rolison is going to be a critical member of the Cubs bullpen this year. I’m essentially asking a “circle of trust” question and whether or not you think he will be in or close enough to the circle of trust to stay in the Cubs bullpen all year.
I’m giving you three options to pick from. The first is that you think Rolison will pitch well enough to stay in the majors all season—or at least only make one short trip back to Iowa. The second option is that he doesn’t earn a permanent spot in the ‘pen, but that he rides the “Des Moines shuttle” between the majors and Triple-A most of the year. Rolison has an option left, so as long as the Cubs leave him on the 40-man, he can go back and forth betwen the majors and the minors.
The final option is that you don’t think Rolison will continue to pitch well and that eventually he’ll be designated for assignment. I put “injured” in with this choice as well. I don’t know how you could possibly predict that Rolison will suffer an injury that will cost him much or all of the season, but I have to admit that’s a real possibility with every pitcher. So I put it in with the DFA option because I didn’t want to put any of you on the record thinking that a Cub is going to get hurt.
Thank you for stopping in tonight. It’s always good to see you. We hope you’ve enjoyed being here as much as we’ve enjoyed hosting you. Travel home safely. Don’t forget any personal items. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.
LOS ANGELES - 1979: Singer Donna Summer poses for a portrait in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Record: 20-20. Pace: 81-81. Change on 2025: -1.
It’s amazing to think that, not long ago, the D-backs’ rotation was going through one of the most wretched sequences in team history. On May 1st, here’s what Arizona’s starting pitchers had done over the previous two turns through the rotation: AZ rotation: 39 IP, 67 H, 48 ER, 24 BB, 33 SO, 11.08 ERA It was enough to compel manager Torey to have a meeting – unusually, with the entire group – when the team was in Chicago. “I let them know what was on my mind,” Lovullo said – adding ominously, “It was a one-way conversation.”
Well, whatever he said, I hope it’s available in a format suitable for framing. Because it’s as if the talent switch was flicked in their brains, to the ON position. Tonight was just the latest example, Michael Soroka tossing 6.1 scoreless innings as the D-backs battled their way to the second 1-0 win of the season (the first being on April 1 against Detroit). That’s now seven starts in a row where the starter has gone six-plus innings, and in all but one of those, they have also allowed one or zero runs. The total numbers across this period: AZ rotation: 47.2 IP, 27 H, 8 ER, 15 BB, 40 SO, 1.51 ERA
I guess it’s kinda galling that the team is only 4-3 in that time, because the offense has been as limp and flaccid as… [looks over shoulder at SB Nation’s Standards and Practices department] a limp, flaccid thing. But on the other hand, we’re at the quarter-mark on the season, and the team has already picked up four wins where they scored two runs or fewer. They only had five such victories in all of 2025, and just two in 2024. For what it’s worth, the Diamondbacks are also 12-1 when scoring more than five runs. We know what a problem that was last season: Arizona was only 4-3 when scoring 11+ runs in 2025.
What this all means, I don’t really know. It certainly makes for exciting baseball, when every swing of the bat could result in a lead change. It also makes for quick games, which the recapper welcomes. This one lasted only 2:21, and it would have been less except for Texas making every single one of their pitching changes in the middle of an inning. And there were a few, despite the score. Planned starter Nathan Eovaldi was scratched, and so the Rangers had to go with a bullpen game. Probably less an issue for them than most teams, considering they came in with an MLB-best 2.80 ERA, close to half a run better than anyone else.
The late change in plans didn’t seem to bother Arizona. Three batters in, they took a 1-0 lead, Geraldo Perdomo following up Corbin Carroll’s double, with one of his own. Little did we know that it would be the last time either side would cross home plate. Indeed, scoring opportunities in general would be few and far between. The best probably came to the D-backs in the eighth. With one out, Ketel Marte doubled, Carroll walked, and Perdomo singled to left, loading the bases. But Jose Fernandez went down swinging (he’s now 3-for-26 since April 26th, with nine strikeouts) and Ildemaro Vargas (5-for-36 since briefly brushing .400) grounded out.
Meanwhile, the Rangers only had three at-bats with a runner in scoring position. All of them came in the bottom of the opening frame. Marte booted what should have been an double-play, after the first two Rangers singled off Soroka. He still got the hitter at first, so it won’t go down as an error. But it meant Texas had men on second and third with one out, rather than just third with two outs. Fortunately, Soroka got out of the jam, helped by a key strikeout of Josh Jung, and was never trouble thereafter. Arizona was helped by some key plays on defense: Gabriel Moreno nailed a SB attempt, Ryan Waldschmidt had a fine catch in center (above), and Taylor Clarke picked a runner off first.
Soroka seemed to get better as he went on. He retired 11 batters in a row before allowing a lead-off single in the sixth, and was remarkably efficient with it. After needing 23 pitches in the first, thanks in part to Marte, his pitch counts for the next four innings were 13, 12, 6 and 8. Soroka did need 24 pitches for the sixth, and that might be why he was pulled with one out in the seventh. He was at 89 pitches, which is about his average. It’s worth noting that while he did go over 100 against the White Sox, his next time out was far and away his worst start of the year. So this might have been Lovullo playing the long game, ensuring Michael isn’t overtaxed.
The bullpen did it’s duty, with Brandyn Garcia finishing the seventh, Clarke working the eighth, and Paul Sewald notching his ninth save. He’s our first closer since Brad Boxberger in 2018 to reach that number of saves in the first 40 games. That did involve him facing Corey Seager with two outs. Of course, we all remember Game 1 of the 2023 World Series, where Seager hit a game-tying 2-run homer off Sewald, Texas winning in extra innings. Tonight though, Sewald hit Seager instead, on the ankle. While that brought the winning run to the plate, a harmless fly-ball ended the game, and the D-backs were back to .500 again.
You’ll have noticed the offense is notable by its absence from this recap. That’s because the offense were, again, notable by their absence. They could muster only six hits and two walks. Nolan Arenado doubled and singled, as did Perdomo, while Carroll drew both walks in addition to his double. But in the end, they did just enough to secure victory.
Click here for details, at Fangraphs.com I Feel Love: Michael Soroka, +44% He Works Hard for The Money: Sewald, +19%; Clarke, +14%; Perdomo, +11%
Macarthur Park: Ildemaro Vargas, -14%
A bright and energetic Gameday Thread, passing 300 comments without difficulty. If we were still playing the Mets, I’d continue the musical theme and nominate Dan’s version of Money For Nothing. But that joke’s time has passed and it’s too big to screen-cap. 🙂 So, instead, I’ll give it to the very Dan-adjacent TheRealRamona:
Same two teams tomorrow, and we will see whether a) the offense wakes up, and b) the rotation can keep up its miraculous resurrection. Zac Gallen starts, with first pitch in Texas at 5:05 pm. See you then! I’m off to watch 20 Million Miles to Earth.
May 11, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Andres Munoz (75) celebrates after getting the final out during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Three runs of offense and five innings from a starter aren’t the typical blueprint for a Mariners win, but the bullpen – missing two of its leverage arms – made those three runs hold up in a 3-1 victory in the series opener with the Astros.
This game got off to a frustrating start: the Mariners hit the ball hard in the first four batters but foul or into gloves – so of course the first hit to fall for the Mariners was an 87 mph exit velo parachute shot by Randy Arozarena with one out in the second. Astros starter Peter Lambert struggled with the zone after that, walking Luke Raley on five pitches and falling behind J.P. Crawford 3-1 before he lined out to Cam Smith in right field, but Dominic Canzone made sure the Mariners would get something out of the traffic, smoking a line drive (104.7 mph off the bat) that Astros left fielder Zach Cole couldn’t handle cleanly, allowing Arozarena to hustle home. Cole Young then ambushed a first-pitch fastball up but in the middle of the zone for his own hard-hit RBI single (103.6 mph EV) to give the Mariners a 2-0 advantage and also treat us to some vintage Luke Raley Running. Look at him chug home like he’s driving a chariot made out of scrap metal harvested from the shores of Lake Erie and tell me this does not spark joy:
Carrying forward the good vibes into the third, Julio eventually got his rightful homer. Crawford Boxes? He don’t need no stinkin’ Crawford Boxes. This was estimated at 414 feet but it feels like that pesky wall just got in the way of a ball that could have traveled deep into the heart of Texas.
But the offense would shut down after that, leading to a game that was closer than it probably needed to be, especially because George Kirby was good-not-great tonight. Last week I wrote about how Kirby has traded some of his strikeout stuff to become a groundball king in 2026, so today of course he decided to revert to 2025 Kirby, racking up seven strikeouts in his first four innings but also pushing his pitch count to 81 through those four innings. Kirby had to work around traffic in each of his first four innings as the Astros made him work, scattering base hits and walks but keeping the Astros from stacking a sustained threat. The biggest culprit for Kirby: a lack of first pitch strikes. Over those first four innings, he threw just seven of 17 first-pitch strikes, compared to 16 of 26 in his start against Atlanta.
Because he loves to be oppositional, right after I typed that paragraph Kirby immediately went back to throwing first-pitch strikes, throwing five of six in the fifth inning to bring his number up to a respectable ratio for the day. Because baseball loves to be oppositional even more, of course that was the inning where Kirby got stung by some bad batted-ball luck and porous infield defense to give up his first run of the day. It started, as most annoying Astros things do, with José Altuve ambushing a first pitch, this time parachuting a sweeper (77 EV) into center. Yordan Álvarez then punched a sinker that was in and off the plate for a single, because Yordan, and Paredes followed that with an RBI single on a sweeper that a rangy defensive shortstop gets to, but J.P. Crawford does not. Kirby was able to close things up from there without further damage on the scoreboard, but did take more damage to his pitch count, necessitating Dan Wilson to call on his bullpen about an inning before is ideal.
The Mariners hitters – who did not score after the Julio homer in the third, allowing Jose Espada to ride a wave of cromulence with Lambert and save his deeply crummy bullpen – didn’t do their part to give the Mariners’ beat-down bullpen any extra help. To their credit, Nick Davila delivered a scoreless bottom of the sixth and a flurry of puns on his name, as did Cooper Criswell, forced into a leverage spot facing the top of the Astros lineup in the seventh. Criswell did get some help from a strong diving play by Brendan Donovan (!) at third, who wolfed up a ball hit weakly in front of him to rob Altuve of yet another annoying infield single against the Mariners, but Criswell also somehow struck out Yordan swinging on a slider that looked like it landed right in the middle of the plate. So much talk this spring training about how tall Cooper Criswell is and not enough about how he is, apparently, a powerful wizard.
Speaking of powerful wizardry, you can’t spell “Boo, A Wizard!” without “Barzardo,” who bounced back nicely after a tough outing in Chicago to hang a Bazero in the bottom of the eighth, working around a leadoff walk but then obliterating his next three hitters, who looked very baffled by what Bazardo was sending to the plate. The element of surprise! Sometimes it works out.
Because of course the Mariners hitters failed to do anything in the ninth – except pinch-hitter Rob Refsnyder, who got a single off Astros lefty Bryan King to break up the long, long string of consecutive Mariners batters sent back to the bench – that meantAndrés Muñoz would be handed the same slender lead Davila, Criswell, and Bazardo all had to work with. Muñoz – subject of this excellent breakdown by Ryan Blake which you should read if you were otherwise engaged on Sunday – has hovered just this side of the dreaded “embattled” label this season, but he was nails tonight, disposing of the Astros despite yet another pesky Altuve single, ending on this strikeout of Álvarez on the changeup of all pitche,s in an at-bat wheretwo pitches before he hit a season-high 101.3 mph. It was a fantastic exclamation point on a night when the bullpen carried the day.
Not the typical route to a Mariners victory. But a necessary one, after the disappointment this weekend in Chicago, and an encouraging one, especially for the lesser-heralded bullpen arms. Tomorrow it will be Bryan Woo’s turn, and hopefully the Mariners hitters can provide him, and the hard-working bullpen, a little more offensive cushion.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 11: Donovan Mitchell #45 and Dennis Schroder #8 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers tied the series, beating the Detroit Pistons in Game 4.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Mitchell only scored 4 points in the first half. His first bucket came midway through the second quarter. He’d immediately break out of that shell to start the third quarter, scoring 8 points and forcing a Detroit timeout only 90 seconds into the second half.
The run didn’t stop there. The Cavs broke out into a Cavalanche-worthy 23-0 run, and Mitchell’s shot-making led the way. He poured it on until the Pistons finally rolled over, scoring an NBA record 39 points in the second half for one of his best performances to date. Maybe even his best.
Grade: A+++
James Harden
24 points, 11 assists, 4 steals, 2 turnovers
Harden put the Cavs in front early with his scoring, nailing a pair of triples and netting 11 of Cleveland’s first 14 points.
He’d continue to elevate the offense, recording a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists by the four-minute mark of the third quarter. The Beard was in full control tonight.
Mobley isn’t an elite offensive hub, but he’s better than he gets credit for. He’s done a fine job of converting his opportunities in this series, scoring at an efficient rate when handling in the pick-and-roll and creating for others.
“Donovan’s gonna get all the flowers tonight, but Evan deserves just as many,” said Kenny Atkinson. “It seemed like he was swatting everything, maybe the best I’ve seen him defensively, and that’s saying something,”
Evan Mobley is the first EC player since Michael Jordan with
On the other side of the floor, he’s played a role in shutting down Jalen Duren and crushing the Pistons in the paint. Eight stocks speak for themselves. Mobley was everywhere, and Detroit had no solution.
Grade: A+
Jarrett Allen
9 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks
Rocket Arena was chanting ‘Jarrett Allen’ during the 23-0 Cavalanche. That happened just moments before Allen crushed a two-handed dunk. I’m not sure if life gets any better than that.
Good vibes aside, Allen has handled all of the physicality thrown at him this series. He’s battled with Duren and come out victorious more often than not. If he continues to meet the moment, this will be a narrative-reversing postseason for Allen (if it isn’t already).
Grade: A-
Dean Wade
0 points, 5 rebounds
Wade, to some chagrin, stayed in the starting lineup tonight. And for the first time in this series, that lineup won its opening minutes. This was mainly because of Harden, but it was an important stretch that has defined the first few games of this matchup. Wade is valuable when the Cavaliers’ offense is able to withstand him being on the floor.
“I thought Wade took his defense to another level,” said Kenny Atkinson after the game.
Grade: B-
Max Strus
5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Strus has forced some of the most impactful turnovers I can recall in this series. His Game 3 heroics speak for themselves, but tonight, he forced an eight-second violation on Cade Cunningham at a pivotal junction of the night. His intensity has helped the Cavs form an identity that’s worthy of standing the tests of a difficult playoff series.
Grade: B+
Jaylon Tyson
1 point, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Tyson only played 8 minutes as this just wasn’t his night. He’s struggled to find his range as a three-point shooter in the playoffs and will need to rediscover his touch before earning any more minutes.
Grade: D
Dennis Schroder
7 points, 2 rebounds
Schroder finished as a minus-15. But this is why we always say plus/minus can be wonky. Schroder felt much more impactful, at least to me. His bursts to the rim remain helpful, and he shot 3-4 from the floor.
Grade: C+
Sam Merrill
6 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound
Merrill nailed his first two three-point attempts and had Rocket Arena going crazy. He went 0-6 from the floor the rest of the way.
Still, Merrill’s off-ball activity opens gaps for the Cavs offense to attack. He’s a positive for this reason.
Then the seven-time All-Star completely took over in the second half with an explosive scoring display to propel the Cavaliers to a 112-103 victory, tying the series 2-2.
Mitchel scored 39 points in the second half to tie the all-time NBA playoff record for most points in a half. The Golden State Warriors’ Eric "Sleepy" Floyd set the record on May 10, 1987, against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Mitchell could not find the basket in the first half, shooting just 1-for-8 and tallying just four points as the Pistons took a 56-52 lead into the locker room. But the guard nicknamed “Spida” emerged as an entirely different player after the break.
SPIDA SCORED 39 OF HIS 43 POINTS IN THE 2ND HALF 🤯
IT'S THE MOST POINTS IN ANY HALF IN A POSTSEASON GAME IN THE PLAY-BY-PLAY ERA!
Mitchell went from couldn’t make to couldn’t miss in the third quarter. He scored 21 points in the period, making 8-of-9 field goals, draining two of three 3-pointers and knocking down all three of his free throw attempts.
His scoring tear continued in the fourth with 18 points, shooting 4-of-9 from the field (1-for-4 on 3-pointers) and hitting 9 of 10 free throws.
Mitchell said he apologized to his team at halftime for his low output and his decision-making.
“I set the tone in Game 3 (a 116-109 Cleveland win), came downhill in transition, and I don’t think I did that one time in the first half. So, I came in and told the guys, ‘That’s on me.’ So, I tried to make a statement in the second half.”
Cleveland began the third period on a 23-0 run, largely spurred by Mitchell, but he credited the game plan and the team for the second-half surge.
“Just continue to play together and continue to move the ball, so that’s where it starts. I was also able to get into the paint. We did a great job of getting everybody involved in the second half.”
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 09: Rhys Hoskins #8 of the Cleveland Guardians jogs to first after being intentionally walked in the tenth inning during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Guardians had a blowout win tonight, 7-2, over a very bad baseball team in the Los Angeles Angels.
Brayan Rocchio finally got the team a hit with runners in scoring position in the second:
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) May 11, 2026
Daniel Schneemann got a bloop to fall for two RBI’s in the 3rd. Funny after all those hard hits I saw caught last series, including a screamer from Schnee:
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) May 11, 2026
The top five hitters in the Guardians’ lineup went 0-14… but they did take a combined six walks (2 from Steven Kwan, one from Chase DeLauter and THREE from Rhys Hoskins). Jose Ramirez hit a couple balls hard, but went 0 for 5 with a strikeout. It’ll sure be nice when he finally turns it around. But, if the bottom of the lineup goes 7 for 17 with four walks, we will see this team win a lot of baseball games while we wait.
Joey Cantillo was very good, going six scoreless, allowing five hits, one walk and striking out four. Matt Festa was shaky but threw a soreless inning, Colin Holderman and Peyton Pallette both gave up runs, but, hey, it didn’t matter so it doesn’t count.
Let’s see if the Guardians can clinch a series victory in the toughest matchup (on paper) of the series, with Slade Cecconi facing off against Walbert Urena.
There were a lot of things to note in this game: A red-hot Donovan Mitchell dropping 39 in the second half, James Harden spraying the ball all over the floor and racking up 11 assists, the way the Cavaliers attacked the Pistons' defense, getting them in rotation (and the way Detroit kept helping off good 3-point shooters for some reason), the Pistons turnovers, and much more.
But this game was decided in the 6:03 stretch at the start of the third quarter, when the Cavaliers went on a 24-0 run to take control.
After scoring just 4 points in the first half, Donovan Mitchell drops a quick 8 points in the first 2 minutes of the 3rd quarter!
Mitchell scored 21 in the third quarter on 8-of-9 shooting, and behind that, the Cavaliers went from down 4 at the half to up 18, and the game was never seriously in doubt again.
Cleveland went on to win 112-103, tying up their series with Detroit 2-2.
A critical Game 5 is in Detroit on Wednesday — Cleveland is 6-0 at home these playoffs and 0-5 on the road.
It was a tale of two halves for Mitchell, who had just four points on 1-of-8 shooting in the first half. It was Harden, with 15 points and six assists — 11 of those points coming early in the first – that kept the Cavaliers in striking distance.
Then Mitchell put on his cape and came out like Superman in the second half, scoring 39 — tying an NBA record for points in a half in the play-by-play era. With a free throw with 27.6 left, Mitchell got to 39, tying him with Eric "Sleepy" Floyd for the honor.
Mitchell finished with 43 points, Harden had 24 points to go with his 11 dimes, and Evan Mobley added 17 for the Cavs.
It was a rough day for the Pistons starters. Cade Cunningham had 19 points on 16 shot attempts with four turnovers, Jalen Duren scored just eight points, and Tobias Harris scored 16 but needed 17 shots to get there.
It was a strong night off the bench from Caris LeVert with 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting, and 15 from Paul Reed on 7-of-9 from the floor, that kept them close.
It looked like it might be the Cavs night from the start. Cleveland forced five early turnovers and that became 11 points going the other way, leading to the Cavaliers being up by as much as 11 early — not coincidentally Harden had 11 early points. But the Pistons righted themselves and quickly walked that down, especially thanks to a fast start from LeVert off the bench, and after a quarter it was Detroit by 3, 24-21.
The second quarter was back-and-forth, with Cleveland doing a much better job of attacking mismatches (including being willing to go at Duran on the perimeter) and getting the Pistons in rotation. Despite that, it was the Pistons by four at the half.
Then Mitchell took over, the Cavaliers went on their run, and changed the feel of this series. It's now a best-of-three.
LOS ANGELES — Clara Massey stood behind her walker and methodically moved in front of Crypto.com Arena after trekking from her nearby apartment. She was wearing a purple Los Angeles Lakers jersey, a purple Lakers cap and sunglasses with yellow frames (or, as any self-respecting Lakers fans would point out, Lakers gold.)
“I just come down, walk around and get the good energy and give the good energy,’’ Massey told USA TODAY Sports.
That pregame energy was mostly pro-LeBron James with the Lakers on the verge of elimination from the playoffs on Monday, May 11 and Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder potentially being James’ last with the Lakers, if not the NBA altogether.
As tipoff grew closer, the moment prompted the following question: Has James' time with the Lakers been a failure?
Despite the fact James led the Lakers to a championship – the 17th in franchise history in 2020 that culminated in the NBA bubble in Walt Disney World in Florida. Despite the fact he became the NBA's all-time leading scorer in front of Lakers fans when he overtook Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Despite the dunks, the 3-pointers and, well, more than a few turnovers.
“I think he did a lot,’’ Massey said. “Won a championship. And he’s still contributing. He’s a pretty strong force.’’
Massey’s fondness for James goes beyond his on-court accomplishments in Los Angeles.
“I think he’s a great basketball player, a great figure in sports,’’ she said, reflecting on the time LeBron James and Bronny spent on the court together during the Lakers first-round series against the Houston Rockets.
“Did someone else do that for their child?’’ she said. “I bet if he could he would teach the world basketball.’’
Higher expectations
Four young men wearing Kobe Bryant jerseys and t-shirts surely would offer a tougher assessment.
“If LeBron can win another championship here, he deserves a statue,’’ Matthew Dominguez of Sylmar, California, said, of the statues outside Crypto.com Arena reserved for Laker greats like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “I think he knew what we expected. But we’re so grateful. He doesn’t deserve all the hate.’’
In fact, Dominguez said he hopes the Lakers keep James. That James could be key to the team winning another NBA title, something the fans like Dominguez are craving.
“And if he doesn’t do it for us, do it for Bronny,’’ Dominguez.
'No small feat'
Aiden Rivas, wearing a No. 6 jersey with James on the back, was standing in line outside Crypto.com Arena more than an hour before the doors opened. Speaking of which, Lakers fans might not have been so open to James’ coming to the Lakers, according to Rivas.
They feared Los Angeles might just be another stop as he jumped from one team to another. They assumed he was here to live in Los Angeles more than play for the Lakers.
Those concerns receded, Rivas, 20, told USA TODAY Sports.
“He brought us a ring, and that’s no small feat,’’ Rivas said. “Overall, I think he did a great job of getting us to the playoffs almost every year. That’s huge.
“I remember the times we couldn’t make it to the playoffs and we had Jordan Clarkson.’’
Sorry, Jordan.
Siblings perspective
Jesse and Lizbeth Medina, siblings who live in Los Angeles, sat outside Crypto.com Arena.
Jesse Medina, 25, said of James, “I think LeBron was good for PR, good for fan engagement but Luka (Doncic) will transform the team.’’
Lizabeth Medina, wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey, said of James' time here, “I was expecting another championship.’’
Playoff basketball rolls on without the Phoenix Suns. That doesn’t mean they aren’t watching. In some cases, they’re getting quite the view.
The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Monday night, and a familiar face was sitting in the crowd. Thunder guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort share something in common with Suns forward Dillon Brooks, as all three are members of Team Canada. So, in a game in which SGA and Dort could potentially clinch their second consecutive trip to the Western Conference Finals, it wasn’t surprising to see their national teammate Dillon Brooks sitting baseline at Crypto.com Arena taking in the game.
What made it even more entertaining is Brooks’ ongoing rivalry with LeBron James. The two have had plenty of run-ins over the years, some dating back to Brooks’ time with the Memphis Grizzlies, others happening this past season with Phoenix. When the Amazon Prime broadcast cut to Brooks sitting courtside, iced out in jewelry as LeBron stood at the free throw line, it felt very on brand.
And knowing Brooks, there were probably a few comments exchanged as he rooted for his friends to take down the Lakers.
Dillon Brooks is extension-eligible this upcoming offseason, and it’ll be interesting to see which direction the Phoenix Suns choose to go. Do they get ahead of it now and lock him up early? Or do they wait until next summer, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent and revisit it then?
He was a major part of the identity and culture shift Phoenix experienced this past season, and that carries real value. The question is how much value the organization places on it financially. Until then, it’s nice to see Brooks enjoying the offseason and continuing the Suns tradition of rooting against the Los Angeles Lakers.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 11: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball over Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers ran the Pistons back to Detroit, tying the series at 2-2 behind a huge second half.
Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.
WINNER – Third Quarter CAVALANCHE
An aspect of this era of Cavalier basketball is that no matter how a game is trending, one four-minute stretch can change everything. While that’s true for both the good and bad — the Cavalanche has earned its name for a reason.
Detroit rolled into halftime feeling pretty good. They had weathered an early storm and controlled the rest of the half behind their defense. They ended the second quarter with a 56-52 lead.
Four minutes into the third quarter, the Pistons still had 56 points, while the Cavs had jumped to 75. That’s a 23-0 run led by Donovan Mitchell, who scored 15 points during that sequence. Rocket Arena turned into a madhouse, and a full-throated ‘Jarrett Allen’ chant capped off the run.
It just takes a couple thousand people yelling Jarrett Allen’s name for him to dunk it. pic.twitter.com/zs3796KVfF
— Jackson Flickinger (@JacksFlickinger) May 12, 2026
This type of heavyweight punch is what makes it hard to count the Cavs out.
WINNER – First Quarter Harden
You can’t ask for a much better start than that.
Cleveland lost both games in Detroit largely because of their slow starts. James Harden made sure that no matter what happened tonight, the Cavs wouldn’t leave with that same feeling.
Harden opened the game on fire. He scored 11 points in the first four minutes, banging three-pointers and even racking up two steals during that stretch. The Cavs defense was successful early on, and Harden surprisingly played a key role in setting that tone.
Sadly, that hot start didn’t spread to the rest of the team (or the rest of the quarter). Cleveland went cold once Harden went to the bench, somehow shooting just 30% from the floor and ending the quarter down by three points.
LOSER – The Caris LeVert Wheel
Cavs fans will be familiar with this. But in case you’re not, the ‘LeVert Wheel’ refers to the idea that on any given night, LeVert will play like any number of former players. For instance, sometimes he’s Michael Jordan, other times he’s closer to Alonzo Gee.
The wheel landed on Jordan tonight.
LeVert had confidence early. His first few jumpers hardly even touched the net. Shot after shot went through the basket as LeVert worked his way to 17 points on 7-12 shooting in the first half. All the while, he gave Donovan Mitchell fits defensively and forced several turnovers on various Cavs drives, including one where he stripped the ball out of bounds off Evan Mobley’s knee.
That type of support from a role player can be enough to steal a game on the road.
WINNER – Donovan Mitchell
We’ve already talked a bit about Mitchell. But he took so many lumps throughout the first round, I think it’s worth focusing on him one more time.
This whole thing was built around Mitchell.
Maybe not originally. The Cavs probably thought that Mobley would have been their best player by now when they first traded for Mitchell. But as Mitchell blossomed into a legit First-Team All-NBA player, and Mobley’s development crawled at a slower pace than expected, it became clear who was the centerpiece of this team.
The Harden trade cemented that. No more two-timelines. Only one. And that would be Mitchell’s.
With all this in mind, it was alarming to see Mitchell struggle to start this postseason. No version of the Cavs competes for a title without a superstar leader in Mitchell. His inefficient scoring and questionable decision-making were a significant concern.
That’s starting to change.
Mitchell found life in Game 2. He carried that over for a monstrous 35 points in Game 3. Then, after a slow start to Game 4, he broke free for 21 points in the third quarter, matching LeBron James and Kyrie Irving for the highest scoring quarter in franchise history. Reminding us of why this team has the expectations it does, in the first place.
“To turn it around the way he did, I’m not sure I’ve seen something like that in the playoffs,” said Kenny Atkinson after the game.
A whopping 39 points in the second half tied an NBA record and brought Mitchell’s total to 43 for the night. It’s his eighth playoff game of 40+ points and his fourth as a Cavalier. His best performances give Cleveland a punch it can’t get anywhere else on the roster.
May 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) knocks the ball away from Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) during the first half of game four in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
This one wasn’t all that close.
Everything looked bad at the start of the game as Cleveland got out to a 13-5 run. With two quick fouls on Ausar Thompson, Caris LeVert checked in and started playing his best ball of the season. He helped Detroit reclaim the lead and they took a 24-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. It was a good turnaround after Cleveland led by 11 and had zero fouls called on them.
The off-ball defense from Detroit was poor all game as they lost Cavs shooters multiple times for open catch-and-shoot looks. It was all tied up 38-38 halfway through the quarter until a Tobias Harris three put him in double-digits and gave them a four-point lead a few possessions later. Detroit would take a 56-52 halftime lead.
The Pistons had 10 first half turnovers that let Cleveland stay close while shooting 55% from the field and holding the Cavs to 40%. LeVert, Harris, and Cunningham combined for 43 of Detroit’s 56 points. James Harden had 15 points and Evan Mobley added 11 points.
This game was over as soon as both teams came out of the locker rooms.
Despite shooting 1-for-8 in the first half, Donovan Mitchell came out on fire and never cooled off. Cleveland started the second half with an 8-0 run, all from Mitchell. After JB Bickerstaff called a timeout, the Cavs went on another 8-0 run into another JBB timeout. By the time unsung hero Paul Reed finally put an end to the bleeding, Cleveland went on a 22-0 run.
Bball Paul was the lone bright spot for Detroit in the third quarter. He made all six of his shots for 13 points in the quarter. Mitchell ended up with 21 points in the third, equivalent to the number of points the Pistons scored in the quarter as well.
The final score makes the game look closer than it was. Cleveland was up by 17 with less than three minutes left and a late push by Reed and the third stringers forced the Cavs starters back in late. Detroit would lose 112-103.
This will be a game to forget, and one where the film won’t be pretty. LeVert finished with 24 points, Cade added 19 points, Harris had 16 points, and Reed had 15. Duncan Robinson played 29 minutes to score four points on only two field goal attempts. Ausar Thompson played 12 minutes in the first half and seven minutes in the second while Donovan Mitchell tied an NBA record with 39 second half points.
Jalen Duren was not good. He looked bad from the start of the game and finished with eight points on eight shots while only grabbing two rebounds in 27 minutes. Isaiah Stewart only played seven minutes but grabbed one more rebound. Both bigs were outplayed by third stringer Reed who had 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal in only 14 minutes.
I dunno, man. We played 11 guys if you don’t include Sasser’s garbage time minutes while Ausar played 19 and Stew played seven. Daniss played 21 minutes and missed all four of his field goal attempts. Leaving Ausar on the bench for six combined points out of Duncan and Daniss is an issue when Mitchell is having an NBA record-tying performance.
It is what it is – it didn’t go well tonight, but the Pistons have homecourt advantage and will look to use that on Wednesday night in Little Caesars Arena. They’ll need to come out with a better performance that tonight if they want to win this series.
