Jarrett Allen pointed to belief and execution in key moments after the Cleveland Cavaliers secured a 117-113 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Cavaliers overcame a 15-point first-half deficit and a nine-point late fourth-quarter gap to take a 3-2 series lead.
Allen highlighted the development of Evan Mobley in pressure situations, focusing on the forward’s late-game impact. “Yeah, just how far he’s come, like you said, the confidence in himself, confidence in his game and confidence in his shot and ability to help teams win,” Allen said.
Mobley’s late free throws helped force overtime after Cleveland erased a 103-94 deficit with under three minutes remaining in regulation. The Cavaliers then carried momentum into overtime with a decisive 13-0 run stretching across the fourth quarter and early extra period.
Allen also emphasized the importance of finishing the series at home in Game 6. “Huge. Lose at home, anything’s on the table. So we got to close it out tomorrow or day after tomorrow,” he said.
Defensively, Allen credited Max Strus for his high-energy approach on the perimeter. “Just his energy, his effort. The dog in him. He made sure that every single possession he was on the court, he gave 110%,” Allen said.
Strus finished with 20 points and six made threes, providing spacing and pressure that supported Cleveland’s late-game offensive surge alongside James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
Allen also reflected on the team’s mental toughness during the comeback sequence. “It’s like you said, our mental toughness has come so far. We believed in ourselves for the whole time,” he said. “We knew that we could win this game. We just had to get stops and score on the other end.”
The Cavaliers held Detroit scoreless for a five-minute stretch spanning late regulation into overtime, turning defensive stops into transition opportunities that flipped the game.
Allen credited Harden’s veteran presence in high-pressure possessions, especially late in the game. “Yeah, well, with age comes experience and he has experience in huge games like this and it shows,” Allen said. “He made sure he hit the right passes, made incredible shots at the end and just led us to a victory.”
The Cavaliers now return to Cleveland for Game 6, where they can close out the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
