Cavs’ James Harden has just 1 word to sum up stunning Game 5 win vs. Pistons

All playoffs long, the Cleveland Cavaliers struggled with one thing in particular: winning on the road. Their series against the Toronto Raptors in the first round went to seven games in part due to their inability to win games away from their home floor. Against the first-seeded Detroit Pistons, the Cavs badly needed to get one win on the road.

It was a bit sloppy, but the Cavs got the job done in Game 5 against the Pistons. Against a fired-up Detroit crowd, Cleveland fought back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime. In overtime, Cleveland’s experience and poise carried them through the game, taking an early four-point lead and never looking back, eventually winning 117-113.

There are a lot of ways to describe the Cavs’ win. Gritty. Sloppy. Entertaining. Heart-stopping. If you ask star guard James Harden, though, he boils down the win to one crucial factor. When coach Kenny Atkinson was asked what it took to win Game 5, Harden cheekily replied from the back of the room, “Balls.”

Indeed, the Cavs needed a lot of that to win the game. The Cavs found themselves down by double-digits even before the fourth quarter. Every time Cleveland was able to claw back into the game, it seemed like the Pistons always had an answer for them. A 10-0 rally early in the fourth quarter gave Detroit a nine-point lead that should have doomed Cleveland. With the team struggling with turnovers, it seemed like the Pistons’ defense has finally broken the Cavs.

Instead, Cleveland fought back into the game. Harden was a key factor in the Cavs’ comeback. Despite being bothered by the Pistons’ defense, Harden still erupted for 30 points, using Detroit’s physical defense to his advantage to get to the line. Max Strus made up for the team’s struggles from beyond the arc, making six of his eight three-point attempts off the bench.

With that win, the Cavs now have a chance to clinch a Conference Finals appearance for the first time since the LeBron James era. Game 6 will be played on Friday at Rocket Arena.

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