DETROIT — The Cleveland Cavaliers mostly shrugged their way through a regular season, outside of the trade deadline, and in non-Game 7s so far in the playoffs, they’re just 6-6.
But when it matters most they tend to rise from their slumber, and they’re headed to the Eastern Conference finals.
Cleveland, the fourth seed, knocked off No. 1 Detroit in Game 7 of a conference semifinal Sunday, 125-94. The Cavs have now won six consecutive Game 7s, including two this postseason, for the second-longest streak in NBA history.
The No. 3 seed New York Knicks will host the Cavs in Game 1 of the conference finals Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET.
Jarrett Allen, much maligned for past playoff struggles, dominated the Pistons with 23 points, seven rebounds, completely outmatching Detroit’s Jalen Duren. Before Game 7, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said that when “Jarrett Allen plays well, we usually win.” Good call.
Donovan Mitchell finished with 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds before fouling out for Cleveland. This is Mitchell’s first trip to the conference finals. He’s made the playoffs in each of his nine seasons but was 0 for 8 on getting past the second round, until now.
Sam Merrill devastated the Pistons with 23 points and five 3s off the bench. Evan Mobley was excellent with 21 points, 12 boards, and six assists.
Cade Cunningham, who finished fifth in MVP voting, was limited to just 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Duncan Robinson also scored 13 off the Pistons’ bench.
Detroit, like Cleveland, needed to win a Game 7 in the last round, but had no magic left for a second act. The Pistons continue the trend of No. 1 seeds from the East failing to reach the finals. In the last 10 years, only the Boston Celtics did it (in 2024); last year the Cavs didn’t get out of the second round as the No. 1 seed.
After Saturday’s 21-point drubbing in Game 6 by the Pistons, Atkinson re-inserted Max Strus into the starting lineup over Dean Wade. Strus has had big statistical games, but even if he isn’t stuffing the stat sheet he has been the Cavalier playing with some fire in his gut this postseason.
Speaking of fire, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, as he has for most of the series, put thousands of Cavs fans and employees on buses from Cleveland and sent them to Detroit. The fleet was bigger Sunday – the team said more than 20 buses pulled up for the game – and they were easily heard in Little Caesars Arena throughout.
The Cavs, who were bounced in five games out of the second round last year, were 15-14 in late December and battling their usual mix of injuries. At the trade deadline they took a big swing — with this night in mind — sending two-time All-Star and fan favorite Darius Garland to the Clippers for James Harden, an all-time great with a mixed history of huge playoff successes and epic failures. They also added Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis in a separate trade, giving Atkinson what he said, time and again, was a “better” team.
Harden has been, overall, up and down this postseason (he shot 2 of 10 in Game 7). But the Cavs are exactly where they planned to be when they made the trade. — Joe Vardon
Pistons fade at worst time
The Pistons simply didn’t meet the moment. Little Caesars Arena was as energetic as its been all season, and Detroit didn’t deliver, sending Pistons fans for an early exit. Daniss Jenkins’ 15 points were a team high. Cade Cunningham shot 5 of 16 from the field and 0 of 7 from 3-point range, registering 13 points for the lowest-scoring game of his postseason career.
It was an underwhelming end to Detroit’s season to say the least. Donovan Mitchell (26), Jarrett Allen (23) Sam Merrill (23) and Evan Mobley (21) nearly outscored the Pistons by themselves. The Detroit fans who stuck around until the end of the game were drowned out by the bus loads of Cavaliers fans. The blowout was a combination of the Pistons’ offensive deficiencies catching up with them their defensive intensity disappearing.
Detroit will now enter the offseason with an understanding that its roster as currently constructed isn’t yet equipped to be a true title contender. This was undeniably the Pistons’ worst showing of the playoffs, and it came at the absolute worst time. Detroit didn’t have the fight it prided itself on all throughout the regular season, and it ultimately contributed to its Game 7 demise. — Hunter Patterson
Mitchell meets the moment
In the most important game of his career, Donovan Mitchell met the moment. As a result, Mitchell is finally advancing to his first conference final in his ninth NBA season.
Both Mitchell and the Cavs unburdened themselves of history. This is Cleveland’s first appearance in a conference final without LeBron James since 1992, something that has hung over this franchise like an anvil for decades. No longer.
Mitchell was terrific, but he had plenty of help.
Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were outstanding, and Sam Merrill hit huge corner 3s in the first half to break Detroit’s spirit early.
It took 96 games, including 14 in the postseason, for the Cavaliers to finally look like the team we thought they could be this season. The league’s most expensive roster finally played like it at the most critical juncture.
This has been a long time coming for Mitchell, who was bounced in the second round as the top seed with the Utah Jazz in 2021. The Cavs were eliminated in the second round again last season as the top seed. Mitchell is finally getting his moment.
If they play like this against the Knicks, the Cavs can win the East. But that “if” is bigger than Mobley’s 7-foot frame. Cleveland’s inconsistency this season has been maddening, but Sunday night in Game 7, the Cavs showed their true threat level. — Jason Lloyd
