The Detroit Pistons showed their trademark grit in Game 3, but sometimes heart alone isn’t enough to close the deal. After falling behind by 16 points at halftime in Cleveland on Saturday, the Pistons stormed back to take the lead in the third quarter, only to see their rally fall short in a 116-109 loss to the Cavaliers.

The shooting touch that carried Detroit to a 50% clip from three-point range in Game 2 went cold on the road. The Pistons managed just 14.3% from beyond the arc in the first half, a stark contrast that proved too much to overcome even as they fought to reclaim the lead. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak and prevented the Pistons from taking a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Despite the setback, Detroit still holds a 2-1 advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The series now shifts to a pivotal Game 4 on Monday night in Cleveland, where the Pistons will look to regain their shooting rhythm and protect their series lead. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday night back in Detroit, with tip-off time yet to be announced.

For Pistons fans, this team has already shown it can bounce back from adversity. The question now is whether they can rediscover their shooting stroke and close out the series with the same intensity that sparked their third-quarter comeback. One thing’s for sure: in the Motor City, we never back down from a challenge.