CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell had his worst first half in a playoff game since joining the Cleveland Cavaliers in September 2022.
No problem. The All-Star guard followed it up with one of the best 24-minute stretches by a player in NBA playoff history Monday night.
After scoring only four points in the first half, Mitchell responded with 39 in the second half, tying the NBA playoff record for most points in a half as the Cavaliers rallied for a 112-103 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
“It’s pretty impressive. I'm not sure I’ve seen in the playoffs a turnaround like that where a guy is struggling and just absolutely turns the switch and complete opposite of the first half,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said.
Mitchell equaled Eric “Sleepy” Floyd's record on a free throw with 27.6 seconds remaining. He had a chance to break the record, set in 1987 when Floyd's Golden State Warriors faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, but missed his second foul shot.
“Everybody let me know that I missed a free throw to break the record, though," Mitchell said. "I will say that, but we’re two and two headed to Detroit. That was what we came home to do and that’s all that matters.”
Mitchell didn't score until he made a free throw with 4:19 remaining in the second quarter. He also missed his first six shots from the field before hitting a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2:48 left in the first half.
Despite Mitchell's early struggles, the Cavaliers only trailed 56-52 at halftime. James Harden and Evan Mobley both kept Cleveland in the game in the first half as they combined for 26 points.
“I airball the first layup and was missing shots short," Mitchell said. "Sometimes it’s natural, right? I wasn’t really trying to get in there and force it and then just doubling down on the defensive end, trying to take whoever I’m guarding, take them out of the equation. I’m not tripping, we were down four at half.
"I always tell y’all it’s not just about the scoring, it’s about your overall impact on the game. And for me, it was just like, ‘OK, now I have an opportunity to try to get downhill’ and then started going in.”
Mitchell was 12 of 18 from the field in the second half, including three 3-pointers, and was 12 of 13 at the line. Cleveland's previous mark for most points in a half was 31 by Mitchell in Game 7 of its first-round series against Orlando in 2024.
Mitchell tied a franchise record for points in a quarter with 21 in the third as the Cavaliers seized control, outscoring the Pistons 38-21 in the quarter. He scored 15 during Cleveland’s 24-0 run that went from the last 12 seconds of the first half to the first six minutes of the third quarter.
The 24-0 run was the longest in an NBA playoff game since since Minnesota also scored 24 straight in Game 6 of its Western Conference semifinal series against Denver in 2024. It was also the longest spurt by Cleveland in a postseason game since play-by-play stats were kept in 1997-98. The previous high was 19 in an Eastern semifinal series contest against Boston.
“Donovan Mitchell was killing us, and that’s pretty much it," Pistons center Paul Reed said.
It was Mitchell's eighth playoff game with at least 40 points, his fourth with the Cavaliers. He has at least 30 points in three straight games as the series shifts to Detroit for Game 5 on Wednesday with it even at two games apiece.
Cleveland is still looking for its first road playoff win this season, and will need at least one if it hopes to make the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018.
“We’ve had two good games to build off of, but it’s going to be a hostile environment," Mitchell said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. And I think I know we’re ready for the challenge.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell, right, is fouled by Detroit Pistons' Javonte Green (31) in the first half of Game 4 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series Monday, May 11, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots between Detroit Pistons' Caris LeVert, left, and Ausar Thompson, right, in the second half of Game 4 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series Monday, May 11, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell (45) gestures after hitting a three-point basket inthe second half of Game 4 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Detroit Pistons Monday, May 11, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson returned from a five-game absence with a costly mistake.
The 12th-year veteran was playing for the first time in the second-round NHL playoff series against Minnesota after recovering from an upper-body injury. He took a double minor penalty for hitting Wild center Michael McCarron with the blunt end of his stick during a scrum midway through the first period.
Danila Yurov scored during the four-minute power play to put the Wild on the board first in Game 4 on Monday, with Manson watching from the box. The Avalanche recovered to win 5-2 for a 3-1 lead in the series.
“A little undisciplined there, but it didn’t look to me like it was vicious enough to make it a five-minute major,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “I was just kind of hoping for the best and Manse would be able to stay in the game. I think they probably made the right call.”
The first-period tussle with Manson was still on McCarron's mind afterward.
“He’s a dirty player. He’s always been,” McCarron said. “Not very well-respected.”
Manson was checked hard into the boards by McCarron, losing his balance and pulling McCarron down to the ice with him. As Manson tried to get loose from McCarron’s bear hug, he sent a slight jab of his stick at the side of McCarron’s face that caused him to recoil in apparent pain.
Manson threw his hands up in disbelief after the review for a major penalty was announced, and after a longer-than-usual evaluation the call came for the double minor that went in the books for “butt-ending.”
“I blew him up, and he grabbed me and pulls me on top of him,” McCarron said. “He took his butt end and clearly butt-ended me in the face. I don’t know how it’s not a five-minute. I think the rulebook says it’s a five-minute if you butt-end someone in the face.”
Manson was mostly upset that McCarron landed on him after the hit, but he said he didn't purposely try to injure him and lost awareness of where his grip on the stick was during the scrum.
“My intention wasn't to butt-end him. Did I want to punch him in the head? I did want to punch him in the head,” Manson said.
The Avalanche made their first significant lineup changes of the playoffs before Game 4, putting Manson and postseason rookie Jack Ahcan on the blue line for Nick Blankenburg and Sam Malinski, who was scratched for the first time this postseason because of an upper-body injury. Manson was hurt in Game 3 of Colorado's first-round sweep of Los Angeles.
Manson posted a career-best plus-42 rating during the regular season, and he had a career-high 91 penalty minutes.
Bednar also gave goalie Mackenzie Blackwood his first start in nearly a month after he relieved Scott Wedgewood during the 5-1 loss in Game 3 to the Wild.
First line left wing Artturi Lehkonen also had his first absence due to an upper-body injury, so captain Gabriel Landeskog moved up to skate with star center Nathan MacKinnon.
Wedgewood and Blackwood shared the William M. Jennings Trophy as the Avalanche had the NHL's best goals against average during the regular season. Wedgewood was 6-0 in the playoffs before giving up three goals in Game 3 to prompt the pull from Bednar early in the second period on Saturday.
Blackwood, who played the entire first-round series last year against Dallas, made 19 saves in Game 4 after stopping 12 of 13 shots in Game 3.
“He went in the net and did exactly what I was hoping he would do,” Bednar said. “He’s had some really strong practices in the last week. He’s had some time to prepare. He’s in tune with what’s going on in the series and done his homework.”
AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report.
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood waits for play to resume after a goal by Minnesota Wild right wing Danila Yurov during the first period of Game 4 in a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Monday, May 11, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) tries to gain control of the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak (27) and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) defend during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) tries to gain control of the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak (27) and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) defend during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
