Cavaliers Beat Pistons 116-109, Pull to 2-1 in Series

Sport

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May 10, 2026

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons 116-109 in Game 3 on Saturday. Cleveland pulled to 2-1 after dropping the first two games in Detroit.

Mitchell Drops 35, Harden Delivers in the Clutch

Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 35 points in the Cavaliers victory. Mitchell carried Cleveland through the first three quarters with consistent scoring and shot creation. The Cleveland guard drew defensive attention that opened the floor for James Harden and Max Strus late.

James Harden hit three clutch baskets in the final two minutes of Game 3. Harden’s step-back three-pointer with 25 seconds remaining pushed Cleveland to a 113-109 lead. Harden closed with 19 points in the Cavaliers win. Max Strus contributed a steal and go-ahead basket to seal the result.

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham posted a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Pistons could not hold off the Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse despite Cunningham’s output. Detroit still leads the best-of-seven series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Cleveland.