Paul Reed said the Detroit Pistons’ approach did not change when the game turned against them in the third quarter. It still came down to execution and energy, he said, even as Cleveland ripped off a 22-0 run and took control in a 112-103 loss that left the best-of-seven series tied 2-2.
Reed was one of the few bright spots for Detroit. He scored 15 points, all in the second half, and his five points helped snap Cleveland’s surge. After the game, he said the Pistons were turning the ball over too much and could not get stops while Donovan Mitchell took over. Mitchell scored 39 of his 43 points in the second half and powered the Cavaliers’ decisive stretch.
“Same mindset I have all the time,” Reed said of the way he comes into games. “Go out there, try to help my team win, do whatever is needed.” That assignment has grown lately. Reed has been getting more minutes because Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart have struggled, and coach J.B. Bickerstaff defended using Reed over Duren for portions of the third quarter. Bickerstaff said Reed earned his place in the rotation.
Detroit now has to sort out what comes next. Reed said the team needs to figure out its adjustments and come out with more urgency in the next game. He also said some players were frustrated by the foul disparity on the road because they felt they were getting fouled. “We knew we had to go out and play with more urgency,” Reed said. “Hopefully, we can come out next game and play with more urgency.”
The series shifts back to Little Caesars Arena for Game 5 on Wednesday, May 13 at 8 p.m., with the matchup suddenly carrying the full weight of a pivotal playoff swing. Teams that have split the first four games of an NBA best-of-seven series are 196-44 all-time, and the home team has won Game 5 in the series 73.3% of the time. For Detroit, that means the next night is not just another home game. It is the one that can decide whether the Pistons grab control or head back into Cleveland facing the longer odds.
