Donovan Mitchell explodes for NBA playoff record-tying 39 second-half points, leads Cavaliers to 2-2 series tie with Pistons

Donovan Mitchell exploded in the second half, and the Cavaliers turned a 2-0 series deficit into a 2-2- tie.

(Jason Miller via Getty Images)

James Harden set them up. Donovan Mitchell knocked them down.

And the Cleveland Cavaliers ran away with a 112-103 Game 4 win over the Detroit Pistons Monday night. A series that the Pistons once led, 2-0 is now up for grabs at 2-2.

Harden paced the Cavaliers early with 11 straight Cleveland points in the first quarter. Mitchell then exploded with 21 points in the third quarter after a four-point first half to spark a 23-0 Cavaliers to start the second half.

History for Mitchell, Cavaliers

Mitchell finished with 43 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. He shot 13 of 25 from the field and 4 of 12 from 3. His 39 second-half points are tied with Sleepy Floyd for the most in a half in postseason history.

The 20-plus point quarter was the fifth of Mitchell’s playoff career, tying him with Stephen Curry and Jamal Murray for the most in postseason history. It also sparked some team history for the Cavaliers.

The 23-0 second half run extended to 25-0 with the last bucket of the second quarter. And it added up to Cleveland’s largest postseason scoring run since the start of the play-by-play era that started in the 1996-97. That’s a stretch that featured nine LeBron James postseasons.

And the run turned a 56-52 halftime deficit into a 75-56 lead that the Cavaliers never relinquished. Detroit punched back. But it never recovered to threaten Cleveland’s lead.