Winners, losers from NBA playoffs: Cavs get back into series, Thunder push Lakers to the brink

Over the first two games of the series, Harden shot 32.1 percent, including 9.1 percent on 5.5 three-point attempts per game, while averaging 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and 5.5 turnovers per game. He was much more efficient on Saturday, shooting 8-of-14 (3-of-7 on three-pointers) with seven assists and three turnovers, showing what the Cavs need more of to advance to the conference finals.

Loser: Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham

Cunningham made some big baskets late, and his triple-double (27 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds) looks nice. But a closer inspection shows he was nowhere near his best in the Game 3 loss.

The 2025-26 All-Star had eight turnovers, giving him 58 through 10 playoff games. Three were particularly costly, coming on consecutive possessions late in the fourth quarter and the Pistons had a chance to take the lead.

Cunningham was also an inefficient 10-of-27 from the court, dropping his shooting percentage for the series to 38.3 percent. The former No. 1 overall pick turned things on while leading the Pistons to a comeback in the first round, averaging 36.3 points per game on 51.6 percent shooting during a masterful three-game stretch to end the series. 

Despite not being as dominant through the first two games against Cleveland, it hardly mattered as Detroit built a 2-0 series lead. Cunningham may need to hit another gear to deal the Cavs a knockout punch.

Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff win streak

The Thunder keeps rolling. 

Just as it appeared the Los Angeles Lakers were about to get back into their second round series after taking a lead into halftime, Oklahoma City blew things open in the second half, leading by as many as 27 in a 131-108 win. After being pushed to two Game 7s en route to last season's NBA Finals triumph, Oklahoma City is a win away from breezing into the Western Conference Finals with an 8-0 postseason record. Instead of these playoffs being a tournament, it's beginning to look like a coronation.

Loser: Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff's rotations

Ausar Thompson, Detroit's best defender, led the Pistons with a plus-minus of +12 but only played 29 minutes, with Bickerstaff subbing him out situationally down the stretch for Duncan Robinson, a better shooter but worse defender. 

After bench spark plug Paul Reed chipped in 11 points in 10 minutes, Bickerstaff took him out for starter Jalen Duren, who has been up-and-down this postseason and had a team-low -14 plus-minus on Saturday.

"P. Reed obviously provides a spark for us, but again, we went with JD," Bickerstaff told reporters afterward.

That sparks was ready to ignite in Game 3. Instead, Bickerstaff, whose rotations must improve going forward, snuffed it out.

Winner: Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell

The second-year pro played a background part in Oklahoma City's 2025 championship run, but he's breaking out in 2026. The 2024 second-round pick led all scorers on Saturday with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, continuing to fill in admirably for an injured Jalen Williams (hamstring). It was Mitchell's second consecutive 20-point game and third of the postseason. With 10 assists, it was also his first career playoff double-double.

Through the first three games of the second-round series, he's averaging 20.7 points and 6.7 assists per game, proving the Thunder's depth goes unmatched in today's NBA.

Loser: Lakers center Deandre Ayton

Ayton's fall from former No. 1 overall pick to what we saw Saturday is staggering. His awful game started on the opening tip when he was called for a foul on Chet Holmgren.

But that was tame compared to what came after. Later, he airballed a six-footer then missed again off the offensive rebound as part of a stretch when the Thunder broke open a tied game with a 17-4 run.

Ayton was also a complete non-factor on the defensive glass, constantly getting outworked and somehow finishing with just one defensive rebound in 24 minutes, which should be impossible for a 7-footer.

It's hard to see how coach JJ Redick can play Ayton with the Lakers' season on the line in Game 4, but without any better option, he may have no other choice.