20 Stats to explain Cavs Game 3 win over Pistons

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20 Stats to explain Cavs Game 3 win over Pistons |

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20 Stats to explain Cavs Game 3 win over Pistons

Yahoo Sports2h ago6 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons 116-109 in Game 3 of the playoffs, led by Donovan Mitchell's 35 points. The Cavs capitalized on their offensive efficiency while the Pistons struggled with three-point shooting early in the game.

Key points

Cavaliers won Game 3 116-109 against the Pistons
Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points and had 10 rebounds
Cavs had an offensive rating of 122.1 and effective field goal percentage of 66.2%
Pistons missed 13 straight three-pointers early in the game
Pistons had 16 second-chance opportunities to Cavs' six

James HardenCleveland CavaliersDetroit PistonsDonovan Mitchell

May 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after hitting a three point basket against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled out a 116-109 Game 3 win over the Detroit Pistons thanks to 35 points from Donovan Mitchell and clutch shotmaking from James Harden. The stats in the table below are taken from . As a note, the percentiles are compared to other playoff games, which affects the sample size.

Q&A

What were Donovan Mitchell's key stats in the Cavs vs. Pistons Game 3?

Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points, recorded 10 rebounds, and shot 6-8 in the restricted area during the game.

How did the Cavaliers perform offensively against the Pistons?

The Cavaliers had an offensive rating of 122.1 and an effective field goal percentage of 66.2%, showcasing strong offensive execution.

What impact did three-point shooting have on the Pistons in Game 3?

The Pistons missed 13 consecutive three-point attempts early in the game but later went 7-10 from three to close the game, allowing them to narrow the deficit.

How did second-chance points affect the outcome of the game?

The Pistons had 16 second-chance opportunities compared to the Cavaliers' six, outscoring them 19-11 in second-chance points.

	Offensive Rating	Effective Field Goal Percentage	Offensive Turnover Percentage	Offensive Rebounding Percentage	Free Throw Rate
Cavs	122.1, 70th percentile	66.2%, 95th percentile	15.8%, 37th percentile	25.3%, 25th percentile	24.3, 69th percentile
Pistons	114.7, 48th percentile	50%, 24th percentile	16.8%, 28th percentile	40.4%, 93rd percentile	19.8, 47th percentile
Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

**The Cavs are now 15-1 this year when Donovan Mitchell scores 35 or more points**. Cleveland has gone as Mitchell has all season. That trend has now carried over to the playoffs, as seen with his scoring outburst in Game 3.
**Mitchell went 6-8 on shots in the restricted area**. He continually got into the teeth of the defense and finished inside. Detroit simply couldn’t stay in front of him. This performance came after he attempted just one shot in the restricted area during the first two games combined.
**Mitchell once again couldn’t get anything to fall from three as he went 2-8**. He’s connecting on just 32.2% of his outside looks this playoff run.
**Cleveland won the minutes Mitchell was on the court by seven**. Mitchell was in the 86th percentile for on/off splits during the regular season. The Cavs consistently played their best basketball with him on the floor. That trend hasn’t carried over to the playoffs. Cleveland has only won Mitchell’s minutes four times this postseason. They’re 4-0 when they outscore their opponent with Mitchell on the court and 1-5 when they don’t.
**Mitchell recorded 10 rebounds**. This is the first time he’s reached double-digit boards in a game since Dec. 31.
**The Cavs took 40% of their shots at the rim (85th percentile)**. This has been an issue throughout the series. The Cavs were in the 2nd and 31st percentile in rim attempts over the last two games.
**Cleveland made the most of those looks as they converted 84% of their attempts in the restricted area (92nd percentile)**.
**The Cavs executed well offensively, posting a 113.5 half-court offensive rating (87th percentile)**. The offense hasn’t performed great against Detroit’s set defense in the first two games of the series. Strong showings from Mitchell and Harden helped turn that around on Sunday.
**Detroit missed 13 straight threes from the first quarter through the beginning of the third**. The outside shot saved the Pistons in Game 2. Its absence for the first half of this game is what led to them trailing by 17 at the start of the third.
**The Pistons went 7-10 from three to close the game**. Detroit dug out of its deficit and had a chance to steal it late. The emergence of the three-ball again is what allowed them to do so.
**Detroit had 16 second-chance opportunities to Cleveland’s six**. This led to the Pistons outscoring them 19-11 in second-chance points and winning the possession battle overall. Afterward, head coach Kenny Atkinson said the Cavs can’t afford to lose this area, calling getting the victory without having more possessions “unsustainable.”
**The Cavs had 27 points off turnovers to Detroit’s 19**. While Cleveland didn’t win the possession battle, they took advantage of the turnovers they forced. The Cavs committed one fewer giveaway than the Pistons.
**Cade Cunningham had eight turnovers**. This was an overall good game from Cunningham as he finished with a 27-point triple-double. However, not being able to take care of the ball was an issue.
**Cleveland had a 130.4 offensive rating with Sam Merrill on the floor**. He was limited to just 14 minutes as he returned from a hamstring injury. His shooting and off-ball movement helped open up what was a stagnant offense during the first two games of the series.
**The Pistons were outscored by 28 in the 18 minutes Daniss Jenkins played**. This was mostly because Detroit registered a 168.4 defensive rating with Jenkins on the floor. It’s dangerous to read too much into single-game plus/minus, but it’s safe to say the Cavs offense was at its best in Jenkins’s minutes.
**The Cavs have held Jalen Duran to 11 or fewer points in all three games**. He is a combined 11-26 (42.3%) from the field this series after converting 65% of his shots in the regular season.
**Dean Wade was the only Cavalier starter with a negative plus/minus**. The Cavs lost the nearly 17 minutes that Wade was on the floor by six.
**Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley combined to go 10-10 in the restricted area**. The offense is at its best when it’s attacking the basket. The most effective way to do that is to get the bigs involved going downhill. Both were able to make an impact there in the win.
**Ausar Thompson had five assists in a game for the second time this series**. He isn’t a threat to score from the outside, but his ability to act as a secondary playmaker when the Cavs cheat off him has been an asset for Detroit. This is why the Pistons have had a functional offense with Thompson on the court this game, despite his limitations on that end.
**James Harden had nine points on 4-5 shooting in the fourth**. He had three big shots late to help seal the game, including a triple over Tobias Harris in the final minute.

20 Stats to explain Cavs Game 3 win over Pistons

TL;DR

Key points

Q&A

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