Cavs expect best shot from Pistons, now on the brink of elimination

The Detroit Pistons are on the brink of extinction from the 2026 playoffs. However, don't expect them to be a pushover in Game 6 tonight in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Cavaliers. Cleveland holds a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven series and returns home where it's been dominant. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said his team isn't going down without a fight. "You're going to have to choke the life out of this team," he said after Cleveland's 117-113 overtime victory in Game 5 on Wednesday. "We're not going to go down without kicking, punching, grabbing (and) clawing. That's just who we are." Detroit trailed 3-1 to the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs. The Pistons refused to go down and trailed by 24 points in Game 6 before embarking on a 35-5 run to win going away. "We've been in this position before and we were able to work our way through it," the former Cleveland coach said. "I expect our guys to be ready mentally to go out and compete at a high level and bring this thing back (to Detroit)." Game 7 would be Sunday at Little Caesars Arena, a place the Cavs don't want to see again until the 2026-27 season. Cleveland came back from a nine-point deficit with three minutes left in the fourth quarter to force overtime in Game 5. "Man, we just made big plays," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "You hope it propels us, right? You hope it galvanizes us. You hope, again, we carry it forward. That was a battle-tested win against a heck of a team on the road. I think you build mental toughness over games like this. You build thicker skin. "It was chaos out there, but our guys are seasoned. James (Harden) helps. He helps a lot. If you're down 20 or up 20, he's just calm the whole time." The Cavs return home where they are 6-0 in the 2026 playoffs and have won 10 in a row at Rocket Arena since March 27. They've won three consecutive games over the Pistons in the East semifinals after trailing 0-2 in the series. It is the second time in team history that they've won the first six games at home in the postseason (they started the 2016 playoffs 8-0 at home). The Cavs are also 11-1 all-time at home in the postseason against the Pistons. Cleveland holds a 12-1 all-time series record when leading 3-2 in any postseason series. If the Cavs prevail tonight, they would advance to the East finals for the ninth time in team history and first time since 2018. The New York Knicks are awaiting the winner of this series and haven't played since Sunday. "This will give us momentum going into the next game," Atkinson said. "We got a home crowd, too. It's a great opportunity for this group. It's kind of a must-win game for us, in terms of if we want to move forward." Harden was outstanding in Game 5 with 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three blocks and one steal. He shot 8-for-21 from the field and turned the ball over six times. "I know I struggled a little bit offensively, but that's why (you) have a team and guys that can pick you up," he said. "Tonight was one of those nights where we found something and I was aggressive." Harden commended teammate Evan Mobley, who scored seven points in Cleveland's 9-0 run to close regulation and send it into overtime. "It just boosts his confidence to another level," he said. "He's versatile. He can protect the rim and can generate steals. He can do a little bit of everything defensively and offensively. So, I think when the opportunity presents itself, he's available. And tonight, he came up big time for us." Mobley finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three blocks and one steal. The 7-footer was also 5-for-6 from the foul line, including two with 45.2 seconds left in regulation that tied the score at 103. Harden has always been the alpha dog on any team in which he's played. In Cleveland, he's playing second fiddle to All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. "This is new for me," he said. "(I'm) learning how to be a second option and when to be aggressive, when to be a playmaker and things like that. Then, offensively, finding what works for us. I think we're building in the right direction." Mitchell finished with 21 points and Max Strus had 20. "He's a pro's pro," Strus said of Harden. "He shows up every day. He's a Hall of Famer. He consistently puts in the work." Contact Bob Finnan at (440) 329-7135 or rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.