In a playoff classic that will be remembered for years, the Cleveland Cavaliers showed exactly why postseason experience matters most. Trailing by nine points with just three minutes left in regulation, the Cavs mounted a furious comeback to force overtime and steal a 117-113 victory in Detroit, taking a commanding 3-2 series lead.

James Harden set the tone early with 30 points, but it was Donovan Mitchell who delivered the knockout punch when it mattered most. Down 9 after a Tobias Harris three-pointer with three minutes to go, Cleveland outscored the Pistons 23-10 from that point through the final buzzer of overtime. Mitchell was unstoppable down the stretch, shooting 4-of-5 and scoring nine points in that crucial span, while the Cavs defense held Detroit to just 23.5% shooting and forced Cade Cunningham into a 1-of-4 finish.

The turning point came on a controversial no-call at the end of regulation. Ausar Thompson made a brilliant strip on Mitchell, but as he dove for the loose ball, Jarrett Allen appeared to trip him. Crew chief Tony Brothers, standing right there, let the play go—explaining later that "both players were going for the ball and there was incidental contact with the legs." The call (or lack thereof) sent the game to overtime, where the Cavs took control.

Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn't mince words about his team's fight: "You're going to have to choke the life out of this team. We're not going to go down without kicking, punching, grabbing, clawing. That's just who we are."

But Cleveland was the mentally tougher team on this night. They weathered the storm, stayed composed when the game was slipping away, and showed the kind of grit that championship teams are built on. Now they head home with a chance to close out the series on Friday night—and a reminder that in the playoffs, it's never over until the final buzzer sounds.