The Cleveland Cavaliers looked finished with just over two minutes left Wednesday night. Down nine points on the road against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, the Eastern Conference semifinal series appeared headed back to Cleveland tied 3-3.
Instead, Kenny Atkinson watched his team deliver its toughest playoff response yet.
“Man, we just made big plays,” the Cavaliers head coach said after Cleveland’s 117-113 overtime win at Little Caesars Arena. “We’re down eight, down nine. I think that stretch right there says a lot about our progress, mental performance progress, mental toughness progress.”
Cleveland closed regulation on a 9-0 run, forced overtime, and then completed the comeback behind James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus. Harden scored a playoff-high 30 points, Mitchell added 21, and Strus buried six 3-pointers while making several momentum-shifting defensive plays.
Atkinson repeatedly pointed to composure as the difference in the final minutes. “These guys, they never get down, right?” he said. “Great demeanor, great leadership from Donovan and Evan and James.”
The Cavaliers had struggled on the road earlier in the postseason, but Game 5 marked their first playoff road victory this year. Atkinson believes the comeback could become a defining moment for the group.
“You hope it galvanizes us,” he said. “You hope we carry it forward. That was a battle-tested win against a heck of a team on the road.”
Mobley’s late stretch stood out to Atkinson, especially after the All-Star forward hit a critical 3-pointer, converted free throws and finished a dunk during Cleveland’s push. “Number four, Evan Mobley,” Atkinson said when asked what fueled the comeback. “Huge three, knocks the two free throws down, gets the dunk.”
Atkinson also highlighted Strus, whose steal late in regulation swung momentum. “That Strus kid wasn’t bad,” Atkinson joked. “He made some big plays.”
The veteran presence of Harden also became a major topic after the game. Following uneven performances earlier in the series, Harden controlled key possessions late while adding eight rebounds and six assists.
“I think we’re getting the ball out of his hands a little bit,” Atkinson explained. “Putting him down court a little, like you don’t have to bring it up every single time against Thompson.”
The Cavaliers coach said Harden’s experience has stabilized the roster during chaotic playoff moments. “He adds a maturity and a poise, calmness to our group, which we needed,” Atkinson said. “He really understands the moment.”
Mitchell struggled for much of the night before delivering key overtime baskets, including a late 3-pointer that pushed Cleveland ahead by seven. Atkinson praised Mitchell’s confidence despite an inconsistent shooting night.
“It wasn’t going great for him and that’s mental resilience,” Atkinson said. “He doesn’t shy because he knows he’s so skilled.”
The Cavaliers now return home Friday with an opportunity to eliminate Detroit and advance to the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks. Atkinson knows the pressure shifts again in Game 6 despite Cleveland’s momentum.
“I’ve been in this position before and have lost this next game,” he said. “That puts a lot of pressure on you in Game 7.”
For one night, though, Cleveland’s resilience finally matched its talent. In a series filled with swings, the Cavaliers delivered their most complete response when everything appeared to be slipping away.
