The Cleveland Cavaliers responded at Rocket Arena on Monday night, defeating the Detroit Pistons 112-103 to even their second-round series at 2-2, powered by a 24-0 run that flipped control of the game. Donovan Mitchell delivered a historic second half, but James Harden’s postgame words framed the bigger picture.
Harden finished with 24 points and 11 assists, marking his 40th career playoff double-double, and his message stayed focused on execution, not milestones or narratives.
The Cavaliers’ surge included elite ball movement and defensive pressure that fueled transition chances, something Harden highlighted as the structural key.
“I think pace is speed,” Harden said. “It’s how fast we are getting the ball up the court, but pace is also understanding the action that we’re trying to run and guys get into their spots faster so our actions can happen earlier in the clock.”
That approach helped Cleveland overwhelm Detroit’s set defense during a 10-of-12 shooting burst that defined the decisive stretch.
Harden also gave a measured breakdown of Donovan Mitchell’s historic night, where the guard tied an NBA playoff record with 39 second-half points and finished with 43.
“I mean, I was on the court, so I had a really good view,” Harden said. “But that’s why it’s a team game. He’s been doing a lot of really good things this entire postseason.”
“And to where he isn’t going to be perfect. Quarters, halves, games, it’s going to happen. That’s why we have a team to pick him up.”
The Cavaliers guard also reflected on Cleveland’s biggest statistical advantage: 98 of the team’s 112 points came from the Harden-Mitchell duo in combined scoring and playmaking impact.
“It’s definitely sustainable,” Harden said. “Just getting a shot on the rim, whether it’s for us or for one of our teammates earlier in the clock.”
Even with Mitchell’s 43-point night and Evan Mobley’s defensive dominance, Harden kept the focus on structure, turnovers, and pace heading into Game 5 in Detroit.
“We got work to do,” Harden said. “We found some rhythm, but we got to be even better going into game five on the road.”
The series now shifts back to Detroit tied, with Cleveland trying to translate its home control into its first road win of the matchup.
