Dribbles: Cavs find their gear, ride Donovan Mitchell surge to even series

CLEVELAND — Random dribbles from the Cavaliers’ 112-103 home win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 4 Monday.

1. The Cavaliers trailed by a 56-52 count at halftime. Then came a 22-0 run in the second half. So, what happened?

2. Well, coach Kenny Atkinson first answered by saying it was the halftime speech. Everyone laughed.

3. Atkinson then admitted that it was actually a whole lot of Donovan Mitchell and a whole lot of the rest of the Cavs following his lead. “The switch was that we started playing with more pace,” Atkinson said.

4. Mitchell led the way in that department. He scored four points in the first half. His first basket didn’t come until just less than three minutes remained in the second quarter.

5. I sat there thinking, “Mitchell hasn’t scored but a basket — and the Cavs are only down four. They’re probably in good shape.” Boy, was I ever right (for once).

6. Mitchell erupted for 17 points in a six-minute span. During that same stretch, the Pistons had exactly zero points. In fact, they didn’t record a single stat. Not a point, not an assist, not a rebound, not a steal, not a block.

7. That, folks, is what’s known as utter domination.

8. But these are the 60-win Pistons, and they’re never out of it. At least, that’s the way it felt. But it was simply too much Mitchell.

9. He erupted for 39 second-half points, finishing with 43. Dare we say we haven’t seen that type of 24 minutes since You Know Who was in town.

10. Atkinson on Mitchell: “He started getting to the open court. What an incredible performance. What a shift.”

11. Atkinson and even Mitchell will tell you, though, this was more than a one-man show. It was a teamwide effort in the truest sense. Spacing. Defending at the rim. Winning some scrums. And James Harden getting it started with some early energy and buckets.

12. Harden finished with 24 points and 11 assists (and just two turnovers). He ran things. He calmed things. He started strong and spent much of the second half as a decoy. He seemed to enjoy the Donovan Mitchell Show as much as the rest of us.

13. Evan Mobley went for 17 points, eight rebounds and FIVE blocked shots in the type of night that can take this team places. “Evan Mobley was phenomenal,” Atkinson said. “He was blocking everything … was everywhere tonight.”

14. Atkinson added: “Don’s gonna get all the flowers. But you gotta give a lot to Evan Mobley as well.”

15. As usual, when you win a game like this, you get contributions from everyone. Atkinson was quick to point to Dean Wade, who took all of one shot. That’s OK. He’s out there for other reasons. Namely, to try to make Pistons star Cade Cunningham miserable.

16. Cunningham did manage to score 19 points and pass for six assists. But he also committed five turnovers. Nothing came easy. 

17. More Atkinson: “I thought Dean Wade took his defense to another level. That was key.”

18. Old friend Caris LeVert had a fantastic night, and quite frankly, became the Cavs lone concern. LeVert finished with 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting. But if he’s the same LeVert who played for the Cavs … well, that’s likely a one-time thing. But in all seriousness, he’s had a good series.

19. The Cavs weren’t amazing defensively, but they got stops when they needed. The Pistons started the game on fire. So Cleveland forced Cunningham and Tobias Harris into tough shots, and allowed guys like LeVert and Paul Reed to beat them. They couldn’t do it.

20. By the way, Mitchell’s 39 points tied former Warriors guard Sleepy Floyd for playoff scoring in a half. Floyd did it back in 1987 against the Showtime Lakers. Yes, that’s how long it’s been.

21. Jarrett Allen (nine points), Dennis Schroder (seven) and Max Strus (five) gave underrated showings with quality minutes. Same goes for Sam Merrill, though he struggled to make a shot (2-of-8).

22. So, here are. Series tied at 2-all. Game 5 is Wednesday night back in Detroit. As you know, the Cavs are gonna have to win a road game to get out of this series.

23. Mitchell on the state of things: “Now we’re 2-2 headed to Detroit. That’s really all that matters.”

24. It won’t hurt if the Cavaliers can take care of the ball again. They committed just eight turnovers on Monday. 

25. Atkinson on that very topic: “I think we figured out some things, spacing-wise. We’re moving off the ball again… We’re doing our work to get in our windows, and that’s what you have to do against this team.”

26. Atkinson with the final word: “We made a stand by winning these two games. That gives you a little confidence. We know it’s gonna be tough there.”

• Box Score | Cavs 112, Pistons 103
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