Donovan Mitchell put on a show for the ages, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are suddenly right back in this series.
Trailing 2-0 to the Detroit Pistons, the Cavaliers have stormed back to even things up at 2-2 with a commanding 112-103 victory in Game 4 on Monday night. The turning point? A second-half explosion from their All-Star guard that will go down in playoff lore.
Mitchell was quiet in the first half, scoring just four points. But when the third quarter tipped off, he flipped the switch. The 28-year-old poured in 21 points in the period alone, igniting a jaw-dropping 23-0 run to open the half. That streak stretched to 25-0 when you include the final bucket of the second quarter—the largest postseason scoring run for Cleveland since the play-by-play era began in 1996-97. For context, that run includes nine playoff appearances from LeBron James.
What was a 56-52 halftime deficit turned into a 75-56 lead the Cavaliers never looked back from. The Pistons tried to rally, but Mitchell's brilliance kept them at arm's length.
By the final buzzer, Mitchell had racked up 43 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, shooting 13-of-25 from the field. But the stat that will be remembered? His 39 second-half points tied Sleepy Floyd for the most in a half in NBA postseason history. It's the kind of performance that turns a series and cements a player's legacy.
Mitchell's 20-plus point quarter was the fifth of his playoff career, tying him with Stephen Curry and Jamal Murray for the most all-time. James Harden set the table early with 11 straight points in the first quarter, but it was Mitchell's third-quarter takeover that stole the show.
The series now shifts to a pivotal Game 5, and with Mitchell playing at this level, the Cavaliers have all the momentum. For fans looking to channel that energy, a Mitchell jersey or Cavaliers gear might be just the thing to rep a team that refuses to go quietly.
