Cavaliers beat Pistons 125-94

The Cleveland Cavaliers closed out the Detroit Pistons 125-94 on Sunday, May 17, in Game 7 at Little Caesars Arena to reach the Eastern Conference finals. Cleveland erased a 2-0 series deficit and won the semifinal 4-3, according to NBA results. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 26 points, and Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill added 23 apiece in a game that was effectively settled before the fourth quarter. The result sent Cleveland into a conference finals matchup with the New York Knicks that begins Tuesday in New York. ### How decisive was Game 7 in Detroit? Cleveland won by 31 points after shooting 43-for-85 from the field, while Detroit finished 30-for-85. The Cavaliers also outrebounded the Pistons 50-41 and committed 11 turnovers to Detroit's 14, according to the NBA box score. The Pistons' leading scorer was Daniss Jenkins with 17 points, while Cade Cunningham scored 13 on 5-for-16 shooting and Tobias Harris was held to five points. (nba.com) Detroit shot 35.3% from the field and 30.8% from three-point range in the loss. ### Who carried Cleveland's offense? Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points in 31 minutes and added eight assists and six rebounds. (nba.com) Jarrett Allen shot 8-for-14 and Sam Merrill hit five three-pointers on his way to 23 points. Evan Mobley added 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. James Harden scored nine points for Cleveland but posted a game-high plus-31 in 35:54. (nba.com) Max Strus added nine points, and the Cavaliers had six players score at least nine. ### How did the series turn after Detroit's fast start? Detroit won the first two games of the series, 111-101 and 107-97, before Cleveland responded with three straight wins. (nba.com) The Cavaliers took Games 3 and 4 at home, then won Game 5 in overtime, 117-113, before Detroit forced Game 7 with a 115-94 win in Game 6. Sunday's result completed Cleveland's fourth win in five games after the 0-2 start. (nba.com) The NBA playoff schedule page lists the semifinal as a 4-3 Cavaliers series victory. ### What does the bracket look like now? The NBA's updated playoff schedule lists New York, the No. 3 seed, against No. 4 Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals. The Knicks reached the round after sweeping Philadelphia 4-0 in the other East semifinal. (nba.com) The Western Conference finals are set separately as No. 1 Oklahoma City against No. 2 San Antonio, with that series opening Monday, May 18, according to the NBA schedule. (nba.com) ### When do the Cavaliers and Knicks play next? Game 1 of Knicks-Cavaliers is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, at 8 p.m. Eastern at Madison Square Garden on ESPN. Game 2 is set for Thursday, May 21, in New York before the series shifts to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 on May 23 and May 25. (nba.com) The NBA schedule lists Games 5 through 7, if necessary, for May 27, May 29 and May 31. (nba.com) The 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 3 on ABC.