Detroit — The Pistons were three minutes away from taking command of this series. Up nine points with the clock winding down, they just needed to close it out.

Then they completely fell apart.

Five straight missed shots. A 24-second violation. Panic setting in. And suddenly, the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to force overtime and eventually pulled away for a 117-113 victory, taking a 3-2 series lead.

"We just lost our composure," one Pistons player admitted afterward. "We had it, and we let it slip away."

Let it slip away is putting it mildly. This was a historic collapse, the kind of meltdown that gets replayed in lowlight reels for years to come.

Meanwhile, James Harden showed exactly why championship teams acquire veterans like him. When the pressure was at its highest, when the Pistons were trying to close the door, Harden kept his cool and helped orchestrate the comeback.

He finished with 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, and his presence in crunch time was the difference. Max Strus added 20 points, hitting six three-pointers to keep the Cavs alive.

"That's playoff basketball," Harden said. "The game's not over until it's over. We just kept fighting."

Cade Cunningham did everything he could for Detroit, pouring in 39 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists while shooting 60% from three. But he couldn't do it alone, especially with struggling mightily and getting benched in overtime.