The Pistons lead the Cavaliers 2-0 in their NBA playoff series. Game 3 is crucial for Cleveland, who must improve their shooting and reduce turnovers to stay competitive.
Key points
Pistons lead the series 2-0 against the Cavaliers
Cavaliers struggling with three-point shooting
Cleveland has committed more turnovers than Detroit
Cade Cunningham has been a standout player for Detroit
Game 3 is critical for Cleveland's playoff hopes
Detroit PistonsCleveland CavaliersCade CunninghamDonovan Mitchell
NBA Playoffs Cavs vs Pistons - 050726
*Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 3 live score, updates, highlights from 2026 NBA playoffs second-round series originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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This Eastern Conference Semifinal series heads to Cleveland. The Pistons hold a 2-0 series lead. Game 3's are rarely a "must win" situation, but in this series that seems almost accurate. Through two games, the Pistons have been the better, more disciplined team.
Detroit is winning the turnover battle, and Cleveland is shooting entirely too many three point shots considering how few they make. Many of the turnovers are not forced turnovers by Detroit. Cleveland is simply committing bad unforced turnovers at critical moments in games.
Analytics dictates that a high volume of threes leads to more wins. However, in Game 2, Cleveland made only 7 of 32. In Game 2 Cleveland shot 22% while Detroit shot 50% (14 of 28). Live by the three, die by the three only works if a team shoots above a certain percentage.
Detroit seems to have an answer for everything Cleveland throws at them. Cleveland also has not been able to contain Cade Cunningham at any of phase of the game through the first two.
The Cavs must get more volume scoring from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. If Cleveland can get what is expected from Mitchell, Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen they can make this a series. However, they have yet to do that in this series.
**NBA PLAYOFFS HQ:**Live scoresΒ |Β Full scheduleΒ |Β
Q&A
What is the current score of the Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 3?
As of the latest update, the Cavaliers lead the Pistons 83-81 after three quarters.
How many three-pointers did the Cavaliers make in Game 2?
The Cavaliers made only 7 of 32 three-point attempts in Game 2, resulting in a shooting percentage of 22%.
Who are the key players for the Cavaliers in the playoffs?
Key players for the Cavaliers include Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
What are the Pistons' strengths in the series against the Cavaliers?
The Pistons have excelled in discipline, winning the turnover battle, and shooting effectively, particularly from the field.
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Cavaliers vs. Pistons live updates, highlights from NBA playoffs Game 3
**4th Quarter-3:14:** Duncan Robinson makes a 27-foot three-point shot.
**4th Quarter-3:23:** Jarrett Allen makes a dunk.
**4th Quarter-4:57:** Tobias Harris makes a 24-foot three-point shot.
**4th Quarter-5:40:** Cade Cunningham makes a 16-foot step back jumper.
**4th Quarter-7:09:** Duncan Robinson makes a 31-foot three-point shot.
**4th Quarter-7:26:** Dennis Schroder makes a 23-foot three-point shot.
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**4th Quarter-8:03:** James Harden makes a driving floater.
**4th Quarter-8:27:** Paul Reed makes a driving layup.
B-Ball Paul being productive π€ pic.twitter.com/tpVt4UgRPJ
β Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 9, 2026
**4th Quarter-8:54:** Evan Mobley makes a 2-foot dunk.
**4th Quarter-9:11:** Donovan Mitchell makes a two-point shot.
Hype up that crowd, Donovan!
β NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2026
**4th Quarter-9:39:** Sam Merrill makes a 23-foot three-point shot.
**4th Quarter-9:57:** Javonte Green makes a 24-foot three-point shot.
Javonte Green for three π pic.twitter.com/97qqHN1Maw
β Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 9, 2026
**4th Quarter-11:11:** Caris Levert makes a 1-foot dunk.
Add a dunk to the chat pic.twitter.com/r3bmiC39aq
β Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 9, 2026
**4th Quarter-11:34:** Donovan Mitchell makes a driving layup.
Team Stats through 3 Quarters
DET
CLE
FG
31-70
32-54
Field Goal %
44
59
3PT
4-17
9-24
Three Point %
24
38
FT
15-19
10-18
Free Throw %
79
56
Rebounds
32
23
Offensive Rebounds
14
1
Defensive Rebounds
18
22
Assists
16
19
Steals
11
1
Blocks
3
6
Total Turnovers
11
13
Points Conceded Off Turnovers
20
17
Fast Break Points
11
4
Points in Paint
52
40
Fouls
17
14
Technical Fouls
0
1
Flagrant Fouls
0
0
Largest Lead
7
17
Percent Led
23
70
**The Cleveland Cavaliers lead the Detroit Pistons 83-81 after three quarters.**
**3rd Quarter-0:30:**Donovan Mitchell makes an 8-foot jumper.
**3rd Quarter-1:03:** Donovan Mitchell makes a 12-foot driving floater.
**3rd Quarter-1:45:** Jaylon Tyson makes a 22-foot three-point shot.
**3rd Quarter-1:54:** Max Struss makes a layup.
**3rd Quarter-2:28:** Paul Reed makes a dunk.
**3rd Quarter-3:05:** Cade Cunningham makes a 1-foot running pull up jump shot.
**3rd Quarter-3:32:** Cade Cunningham makes a 13-foot step back jumper.
β Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 9, 2026
**3rd Quarter-4:04:** Paul Reed makes a 2-foot dunk.Β DET is on an 11-2 run
**3rd Quarter-4:25:** Jarrett Allen makes a 26-foot three-point shot.
**3rd Quarter-5:33:** Ausar Thompson makes a 21-foot jumper.
**3rd Quarter-6:10:** Ausar Thompson makes a 1-foot layup.
**3rd Quarter-6:27:** Cade Cunningham makes two-point shot.
**3rd Quarter-6:56:** Max Struss makes a 26-foot three-point jumper.
No dribble, just shoot. #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/07CAyP2GOl
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**3rd Quarter-7:23:** Tobias Harris makes a 25-foot three-point shot.
**3rd Quarter-9:12:** James Harden makes a 6-foot shot.
**3rd Quarter-9:59:** Ausar Thompson makes a two-point shot.
Quick buckets from Ausar Thompson pic.twitter.com/pNAlQDnuaQ
β Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 9, 2026
**3rd Quarter-11:14:** Donovan Mitchell makes a 10-foot turnaround jumper.
**3rd Quarter-11:22:** Jalen Duren makes a layup.
1st Half Team Stats
DET
CLE
FG
18-48
24-35
Field Goal %
38
69
3PT
2-14
7-13
Three Point %
14
54
FT
10-14
9-16
Free Throw %
71
56
Rebounds
21
17
Offensive Rebounds
12
1
Defensive Rebounds
9
16
Assists
9
14
Steals
7
0
Blocks
2
5
Total Turnovers
9
8
Points Conceded Off Turnovers
13
8
Fast Break Points
6
4
Points in Paint
32
28
Fouls
15
10
Technical Fouls
0
0
Flagrant Fouls
0
0
Largest Lead
7
16
Percent Led
33
61
**The Cleveland Cavaliers lead the Detroit Pistons 64-48 at the half.**
Donovan Mitchell is the 4th youngest active player to reach 2,000 playoff points, behind only Lebron James, Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic.
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**2nd Quarter-0:11:** Evan Mobley makes a driving dunk. Cleveland has built a 16-point lead.
**2nd Quarter-0:27:** Isaiah Stewart makes a 1-foot layup.
**2nd Quarter-1:24:** Donovan Mitchell makes a 1-foot two-point shot.
**2nd Quarter-2:26:** Jalen Duren makes a dunk.
**2nd Quarter-2:40:** Jarrett Allen makes a 1-foot dunk.
πΈ UFO: Unidentified Fro-ing Object.@\bigjayy\ | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/4gnGcVgAG9
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**2nd Quarter-3:26:** Duncan Robinson makes a running dunk.
**2nd Quarter-4:01:** Cade Cunningham makes a 13-foot fade away jump shot.
**2nd Quarter-4:25:** Evan Mobley makes a dunk.
FIGHT FOR THE BOARD.
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**2nd Quarter-4:58:** Evan Mobley makes a 3-foot alley oop dunk, assisted by Mitchell.
The dunk before the other dunk that just happened because he's just out here dunking.@evanmobley | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/dGklkpNble
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**2nd Quarter-5:05:** Cade Cunningham makes a tip shot.
**2nd Quarter-6:22:** Jalen Duren makes a driving dunk.
JD with the posterβΌοΈ pic.twitter.com/Vazz1t936S
β Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 9, 2026
**2nd Quarter-6:39:** Sam Merrill makes a 20-foot step back jumper. That gives CLE a 9-point lead, the largest CLE lead in the series.
GO SAM GO.@smerrill05 | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/8YCH4zPUvF
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**2nd Quarter-8:08:** Donovan Mitchell makes a 10-foot shot.
**2nd Quarter-8:23:** Daniss Jenkins makes a layup.
**2nd Quarter-10:52:** Donovan Mitchell makes a 2-foot dunk.
Got that SPIDA SAUCE.@spidadmitchell | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/kVRoKaCuLm
**The Cleveland Cavaliers lead the Detroit Pistons 32-30 at the end of the 1st quarter.**
**1st Quarter-0:05:** Evan Mobley blocked Cade Cunningham on a 5-foot shot. With that block, Evan Mobley is now 5th all time in playoff blocks in Cavaliers team history.
**1st Quarter-0:29:** Donovan Mitchell makes a 23-foot three-point shot.
**1st Quarter-1:16:** Dennis Schroder makes a 25-foot three-point shot.
**1st Quarter-1:38:** Cade Cunningham makes a layup.
**1st Quarter-2:27:** Caris Levert makes a running dunk.
β Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 9, 2026
**1st Quarter-2:44:** James Harden makes driving floater.
**1st Quarter-3:18:** Dennis Schroder makes a driving layup.
**1st Quarter-3:30:** Isaiah Stewart makes a dunk.
**1st Quarter-3:46:** Jarrett Allen makes a 4-foot hook shot.
**1st Quarter-4:04:** Tobias Harris makes a 6-foot turnaround jumper.
**1st Quarter-5:08:** Jarrett Allen makes a 2-foot shot.
**1st Quarter-5:39:** Dennis Schroder makes a 22-foot three-point shot.
IT'S A HIGHLIGHT.@DS17\_FG | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/SQ0JHIfmL6
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**1st Quarter-6:26:** Jarrett Allen makes a 2-foot layup.
**1st Quarter-6:43:** Jalen Duren makes an alley oop dunk, Cunningham assisted.
**1st Quarter-7:26:** Jarrett Allen makes a dunk.
Float it to the Fro and he'll be ON THE GO.@\bigjayy\ | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/zs2AHlhMhS
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**1st Quarter-7:53:** Donovan Mitchell makes a driving layup.
**1st Quarter-8:05:** Ausar Thompson makes a 12-foot shot.
**1st Quarter-8:31:** Donovan Mitchell makes a 25-foot three-point shot.
Spida is 3-4 early in Game 3 on NBC & Peacock! pic.twitter.com/H32jh6CkrJ
β NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2026
**1st Quarter-9:32:** Tobias Harris makes a driving layup.
**1st Quarter-10:20:** Cade Cunningham makes a 26-foot three-point shot.
**1st Quarter-10:45:** James Harden makes a 26-foot three-point shot.
Start off with a step back
β Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 9, 2026
**1st Quarter-11:14:** Donovan Mitchell makes a running layup.
**1st Quarter-11:43:** Duncan Robinson makes a 24-foot three-point shot.
One game at a time. pic.twitter.com/eJGFGsJA2u
β Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 9, 2026
Tell a friend to tell a friend...