Playoff Progression for Cavaliers

DETROIT — The Cleveland Cavaliers triumphed over the Detroit Pistons with a convincing 125-94 win in Game 7, thanks to Donovan Mitchell’s 26 points and strong contributions from Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill, who each scored 23 points.

This victory means the fourth-seeded Cavaliers have knocked out the top-seeded team in the East and will now face the third-seeded Knicks in the upcoming series.

The first game of this matchup is scheduled for Tuesday in New York.

Evan Mobley also had an impressive outing, racking up 21 points along with 12 rebounds. This marks the ninth time the Cavaliers have reached the conference finals since 2018, and it’s their deepest run since LeBron James played his final season with the team.

For the Pistons, Danis Jenkins managed 17 points, while Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson each added 13. Despite forcing a decisive Game 7 by winning Game 6, Detroit fell just short of advancing to the conference finals for the first time since 2008.

The Cavaliers set an aggressive tone right from the start, preventing the Pistons from gaining any traction. Mitchell had a standout third quarter, contributing 15 points during that period.

Detroit dominated points in the paint 58-34, but their shooting was less effective, landing at 35.3 percent from the field compared to Cleveland’s 50.6 percent.

Cleveland capitalized on missed shots from Detroit in the first quarter, transitioning those into baskets to establish an early lead. By the end of the first, the Cavaliers were up 31-22, and after Detroit managed to score twice at the start of the second, Cleveland responded with a 24-9 run to regain control.

As the game wore on, the Pistons’ struggles on offense continued, allowing the Cavaliers to maintain an impressive 64-47 lead at halftime.

The second half only solidified Cleveland’s dominance, where they even led by as much as 35 points. The Pistons briefly got within 17 points in the third quarter, but it wasn’t enough to shift the momentum.