Paul Reed says Detroit’s urgency and execution matter as the series tied 2-2 heads to Game 5 in Detroit against Cleveland.
A crucial stretch in Game 4 swung momentum toward the Cleveland Cavaliers. and Detroit is now leaning on a familiar reinforcement: backup center Paul Reed.. Entering the third quarter. Reed said the Pistons’ mindset stayed centered on execution and energy. even as Cleveland built momentum during a decisive second-half run.
Reed framed the approach as consistent regardless of how the game moves, stressing that the job remains the same whether the opponent surges or Detroit fights back. His message to teammates was direct: go out, try to help the team win, and do whatever is needed in the flow of the contest.
The Pistons’ challenge, as Reed described it, was stopping Cleveland’s offense during the period when the game effectively tipped.. He pointed to turnovers and defensive breakdowns as central issues in Detroit’s loss of control. and he singled out Donovan Mitchell’s impact during the run that separated the teams.
Mitchell was the engine for Cleveland when the series shifted gears. scoring 39 points in the second half and finishing with 43 for the game.. For Detroit. that burst carried weight not only because of the scoring. but because it came during the time window when defensive stops and ball security were most needed.
As the series is now tied 2-2 and Detroit returns home for Game 5. Reed emphasized the need for adjustments and urgency.. He said the Pistons are focused on identifying what changes are required moving forward. and he added that the goal is to come out next game with more urgency than they showed previously.
Detroit’s roster rotation has also moved into the spotlight. Reed said he has been receiving more playing time due to the struggles of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, a shift made visible by the sequence in the third quarter when Reed’s five points were the first to interrupt Cleveland’s 22-0 run.
That context matters for Game 5 because the Pistons’ second-half production and bench contributions can become more influential when games tighten. Reed’s workload increased in Game 4 as well, with him scoring 15 points in the loss while playing in the second half of the 112-103 result.
Detroit’s coaching decision is part of the current conversation too. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff defended choosing Reed over Duren for portions of the third quarter, explaining that Reed had earned his place in the rotation based on performance.
Meanwhile, there has also been frustration inside the physical style of the matchup.. Reed addressed concerns about a foul disparity that limited Detroit’s ability to play with the kind of physical intensity it wanted. particularly on the road.. He said it was frustrating for some players because they felt they were getting fouled. but he also acknowledged the reality of playoff basketball: if the Pistons are traveling. the way fouls are called can differ from what they see at home.
Those elements—momentum shifts, rotation changes, and the way fouls affect physicality—feed into how Detroit prepares for Wednesday’s Game 5. The series is best-of-seven, and with it level at 2-2, the next win carries extra weight for both teams’ path to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The matchup is scheduled for 8 p.m.. inside Little Caesars Arena, with Game 5 set in Detroit.. Historically. when the series is tied 2-2 in a best-of-seven NBA playoff matchup. winners have advanced at a high rate in the all-time record referenced in the report. giving the home team’s next performance additional significance.
Home-court has also been part of the discussion.. The home team for Game 5 has gone on to win the series 73.3% of the time. a figure that underscores why Detroit’s response at Little Caesars Arena is more than a single-game correction.. For the Pistons. the challenge now is to turn urgency and execution into stops and ball security—especially during the kinds of stretches where Cleveland found its rhythm.
Paul Reed Detroit Pistons Cleveland Cavaliers Game 5 playoff series tied 2-2 Donovan Mitchell Little Caesars Arena