Cavaliers-Pistons    (won)

The Pistons won the first two games at home, and the series quickly swung in Detroit’s favour. J.B. Bickerstaff knows Cleveland very well, and with Detroit finishing as the No. 1 seed in the East, their game plan was clearly effective early in the series. For the Cavaliers, the key issue was James Harden. In Game 1, he started slowly and only exploded late, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter, but Jarrett Allen struggled badly and the two-big lineup did not work, leading to a 101-111 loss. In Game 2, Harden was even worse, shooting 3-of-13 from the field and 0-of-4 from three with four turnovers, as Cleveland lost again, 97-107.

Back at home, the Cavaliers finally found their rhythm. In Game 3, they led by 16 at halftime. Although Detroit responded with a 33-19 third quarter and made the game tense again, Harden scored seven key points late to steady Cleveland. He finished 8-of-14 from the field, Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points on 13-of-24 shooting, and Allen added 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. After a poor Game 1, Allen has now gone 7-of-9 in back-to-back games, which shows his form has clearly returned. When Harden, Mitchell and Allen all produce, Cleveland’s offensive floor at home becomes much higher.

Detroit remain a tough opponent. Cade Cunningham may not be highly efficient, but he is not afraid of taking responsibility in key moments. Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson bring valuable experience, while Ausar Thompson has also been solid. Robinson scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the last game, and the Pistons showed real toughness. However, Cleveland’s home-road split in the playoffs is very clear: five home wins and five road losses. Kenny Atkinson prefers an offensive style, and if Harden can stay around the 20-point mark with solid efficiency, while Mitchell and Allen continue their form, Cleveland should be able to win at home and level the series.

Cavaliers-3.5