Cavaliers clinch series, rout Pistons by 31 in Game 7

The Cleveland Cavaliers closed out the Detroit Pistons with a 125-94 win in Game 7 on Sunday, May 17, at Little Caesars Arena, sending Cleveland to the Eastern Conference finals. Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, Jarrett Allen had 23 and Sam Merrill added 23 as the Cavaliers won the series 4-3 after dropping the first two games. NBA.com’s official box score listed Cleveland at 50 rebounds, 31 assists and 50.6% shooting in the clincher. ### How one-sided was Game 7? The 31-point margin was the largest number attached to the night, and Cleveland built it with balance rather than one scorer carrying the game. Mitchell finished with 26 points and eight assists, Allen shot 8-for-14, and Merrill hit five 3-pointers in 25 minutes. Evan Mobley added 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. (nba.com) Cleveland’s team totals showed the gap across the floor. The Cavaliers shot 43-for-85 from the field, while Detroit shot 30-for-85. Cleveland also finished with 11 turnovers to Detroit’s 14 and outscored the Pistons by nine on the glass. ### Which Cavaliers set the tone? Donovan Mitchell gave Cleveland its top scoring line, but the support around him was just as visible in the box score. (nba.com) Sam Merrill scored 23 points on 7-for-10 shooting and 5-for-8 from 3-point range, while Jarrett Allen scored 23 despite going 7-for-13 at the foul line. Evan Mobley filled multiple categories for Cleveland. (nba.com) The forward posted 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and two blocks, and his plus-31 matched the game’s most lopsided stretches. Max Strus added nine points and three steals. ### What went wrong for Detroit in the decider? Detroit never found an efficient offensive option for long. (nba.com) Cade Cunningham scored 13 points on 5-for-16 shooting and missed all seven of his 3-point attempts, while Tobias Harris was held to five points on 0-for-6 shooting. The Pistons’ shooting line captured the broader problem. Detroit finished at 35.3% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range, with Daniss Jenkins leading the team with 17 points. (nba.com) Duncan Robinson scored 13 and Caris LeVert added 11, but no Detroit player reached 20 points. ### How did the series turn after Detroit’s fast start? The NBA’s playoff schedule page showed Detroit opened the semifinal by winning Games 1 and 2 before Cleveland answered with three straight victories. (nba.com) The Pistons extended the matchup with a 115-94 win in Game 6, but Cleveland finished the series with the 125-94 result in Game 7. That sequence sent the fourth-seeded Cavaliers through after a seven-game series against the top-seeded Pistons. The same NBA schedule page listed New York, the No. 3 seed, as Cleveland’s next opponent after the Knicks swept Philadelphia 4-0 in the other East semifinal. ### When do the Cavaliers and Knicks play next? The NBA’s official playoff schedule lists Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals for Tuesday, May 19, at 8 p.m. (nba.com) ET at Madison Square Garden. Game 2 is set for Thursday, May 21, also in New York, before the series shifts to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 on May 23 and May 25. June 3 is the date the NBA lists for Game 1 of the 2026 Finals, with ABC as the exclusive broadcaster. (nba.com) For now, Cleveland’s next step is clear: a best-of-seven series against the Knicks beginning Tuesday night in New York.