LeBron James gave one of the all-time great playoff performances in carrying his Cavs to a 109-107 double overtime Game 5 win over Detroit at the Palace. He scored 29 of his playoff career high 48 in the fourth quarter and two overtimes to make it three straight for Cleveland- putting them just one victory away from their first ever NBA Finals where San Antonio awaits.

King James was a man possessed. With his team’s back to the wall after a Detroit 10-0 run halfway through the fourth quarter, the fourth-year superstar just took over. From the time Detroit led 88-81, the 22 year-old scored every single way possible to put his team in position to win in regulation. This included a three from the top of the key and a go-ahead jam to finish off an 8-0 run with under a minute left.

But with the Cavs up one, Chauncey Billups quickly answered with a stepback trey from the right side of the key to put Detroit back up 91-89. With his team once again needing a big bucket, an aggressive LeBron delivered by beating a double which didn’t come quick enough and slamming another home with under six seconds to go. Detroit called time to setup a potential winner. But Billups’ trey just missed at the buzzer forcing OT.

Finally in a rhythm after at one point being just 7-for-19, James was unbelievable in the overtimes scoring all 18 of his team’s points. Early in the first OT, he put Cleveland up four with a backdoor lay-in and a very difficult stepback inside the circle.

Another LeBron jam which gave the Cavs the lead certainly drew plenty of remarks from the TNT trio of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Reggie Miller about Detroit’s failure to double earlier. When James made another difficult stepback to put his team up four, it looked over. But the Pistons were able to hang in on experience.

First, Rasheed Wallace drew a foul and made both free throws to cut it to two with 30 seconds left. After a rare LeBron miss, Detroit called time with under six left. Out of it, Billups drove the lane and drew a foul with 3.1 to go. Mr. Big Shot calmly made both free throws to somehow force a second OT.

One of the reasons James was forced to take all the shots was that his other options were fouling out. Daniel Gibson (11) fouled out in the first OT. And Drew Gooden, who had a strong Game 4 was a nonfactor finishing with just seven and also fouling out.

It left James to basically fend for himself. A couple of the shots he hit which answered big Detroit baskets to tie it were unreal. After the Pistons went ahead, he dribbled behind his back and then drained a difficult long jumper over Billups. But when Chris Webber came right back with a three-point play ending second leading scorer Zydrunas Ilgauskas’  (16) night, one had to figure James’ magic act was out of tricks.

Wrong! The next possession, LeBron dribbled away from a double team and hit a ridiculous trey to tie it at 107. Biggest shot of the night. If he doesn’t score there, maybe that’s it. But he did.

The next Detroit possession, they went into Wallace, who forced a quick turnaround from the left baseline which fell short. He felt he was fouled by Anderson Varejao, who defended it well. Was there some contact? Replays seemed to indicate so. However, it wasn’t a great look. You have to question why the Pistons went so quickly there with a five second differential.

Everyone knew who would get the ball when Cleveland called timeout. What was mindboggling was Detroit’s continued strategy of not being aggressive enough. Like Barkley, Smith and even guest TBS baseball analyst and Cooperstown-bound Tony Gwynn said:

“Get the ball out of his hands.”

Instead, they waited too long and allowed LeBron to sneak a clear view at the basket. By the time the double came, it was too late as the star was already in his move and double pumped before laying the winner home softly off the glass with only 2.2 ticks left stunning the Detroit capacity crowd.

After their final timeout, Billups got a great look but his runner in the lane was partially deflected by Varejao to push it just off the rim at the buzzer sending the entire excited Cleveland bench over to LeBron under the basket to congratulate him on what can be summed up as a Jordan-esque performance.

It was that special. Just how remarkable was he. He scored his team’s final 25 points and 29 of their last 30 making 11 of his final 14 field goals. This is what LeBron was advertised as when he came out of high school a few years ago. Billed as the NEXT ONE, he’s had plenty of criticism come his way for not taking over games such as this. Tonight, that all changed. He put his teammates on his back and changed how he’ll be viewed.

Along with his clutch 48, the versatile star finished with nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals. In an incredible 50 minutes, he finished 18-for-33 from the field including two money treys (2-of-3) in crunch time and converted 10-of-14 from the charity stripe.

This game will be remembered for a long time. Especially if Cleveland wraps this series up Saturday night at home and advances to its first NBA Finals.

For Detroit, it was a crushing defeat. They let it slip away. Part of that was the Cavs’ resiliency. There were times in the third quarter where it looked like they were going to pull away. But everytime, either LeBron or another Cav made a big shot to prevent it. The way Cleveland finished the third quarter which was their first good one of the series and first probably since sweeping Washington (they outscored Detroit 19-18), they had to feel extremely confident about stealing this game. A Gibson trey with a second left in the quarter tied it at 70.

Just how confident was Mike Brown. He allowed his superstar to get some valuable rest in the first three minutes of the fourth. Something which Steve Kerr made reference to during OT because LeBron “looked very fresh.”

Kerr has always been a very good analyst. And as usual, he nailed it here.

After the game, here was what Flip Saunders had to say about his team’s defense on LeBron:

“We tried to trap him and get it out of his hands, but he attacked. We’ll definitely have to do something different next time.“

Saunders definitely should change something because his team allowed LeBron to get too many clear paths to the basket. Once he picks up a full head of steam, it’s over.

Part of that strategy may or may not include key backup center Antonio McDyess. The valuable big was assessed a flagrant II foul in the opening quarter and automatically ejected for a hard foul on Varejao. His loss was definitely felt late. While he might not be the scorer he once was, the ex-Nugget is a presence in the middle and can alter shots. You have to figure he’d have been in the game defending the basket with Wallace instead of Jason Maxiell who got burned a couple of times.

It changes the strategy completely. So will he get suspended for Game 6? Detroit better hope not.

The Pistons had all five starters get double digits but it didn’t matter because of James’ heroics. Billups finished with 21 while Rip Hamilton paced them with 26 including a perfect 12-of-12 from the line along with a couple of big baskets in the second OT. They also got a big game from Webber, who finished with 20 and seven on 9-of-13 shooting. Wallace didn’t shoot the ball well but added 17, eight and two blocks. And Prince, who defended LeBron most of the game scored all of his 10 in the third quarter.

For Cleveland, Larry Hughes played through pain but hit for two treys and scored nine in 29 gritty minutes. Varejao added nine, three boards, two steals and two blocks.

You have to figure that James will get much more help next game in a potential closeout at home. Those fans should be extremely pumped up. But what they must remember is that Detroit will never quit. The Pistons are experienced enough to go on the road and win and have done it before in these pressure situations. LeBron and the Cavs experienced it last year when the Pistons backed up Rasheed’s guarantee winning in Cleveland before blowing the doors off them in Game 7 to advance to the ECF.

After a similar gutwrenching defeat to the Nets in an epic Game 5 which needed three OT’s to decide, the Pistons managed to bounceback and win at the Meadowlands before blowing the Nets out of the building in another Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals.

They won’t panic. The question is is it too late as Barkley, Smith and Miller asserted earlier? We’ll find out Saturday.