Donovan Mitchell leads Cavaliers to 125-94 Game 7 win over Pistons

Donovan Mitchell sent Cleveland into the Eastern Conference finals with a 26-point Game 7, but the result was also a statement about how the Cavaliers closed a series on the road. Cleveland beat Detroit 125-94 on Sunday, May 17, in Detroit, with Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill adding 23 points apiece as the Cavaliers eliminated the East’s top seed. The win put the fourth-seeded Cavaliers into a conference finals matchup with the third-seeded New York Knicks. Game 1 was scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, at Madison Square Garden, and New York had OG Anunoby back in the starting lineup despite a hamstring issue. ### How did Cleveland break open Game 7? Cleveland turned Game 7 into a rout with balanced scoring and a margin that kept growing after halftime. Mitchell led with 26 points, Allen and Merrill scored 23 each, and Evan Mobley added 21 in the 31-point win. Detroit never recovered from Cleveland’s offensive depth. The Associated Press account of the game said the Cavaliers “rout[ed]” the Pistons 125-94, a result that ended the series in Detroit and sent Cleveland through as the lower seed. (abcnews.com) ### Why was this result bigger than just Mitchell’s scoring line? The 125 points mattered because Cleveland did not need a one-man performance to survive an elimination game. (abcnews.com) Allen, Merrill and Mobley all topped 20 points, giving the Cavaliers four players with at least 21 in the deciding game. The matchup also flipped the seeding script. (abcnews.com) Detroit entered the series as the East’s top seed, while Cleveland was seeded fourth, but the Cavaliers closed the series in seven games and advanced anyway. ### Who was waiting for Cleveland in the next round? New York was waiting in the Eastern Conference finals after reaching the final four on the other side of the bracket. (abcnews.com) CBS Sports and NBC Sports listed Knicks-Cavaliers as the East finals matchup once Cleveland advanced. Game 1 was set for Tuesday, May 19, in New York. NBA.com’s game page identified Madison Square Garden as the site of the opener, with Cleveland arriving after a seven-game second-round series against Detroit. (abcnews.com) ### What was the immediate issue for New York entering Game 1? OG Anunoby’s availability was the key pregame question for New York. The Athletic’s live coverage said Anunoby started Game 1 for the Knicks, and Yahoo Sports reported he was expected to play after missing the final two games of the previous round with a left hamstring strain. (cbssports.com) (nba.com) CBS Sports and other reports had listed Anunoby as probable before the opener. His return gave New York one of its top wing defenders back for the start of the series against Mitchell and Cleveland. ### What does the bracket look like from here? The 2026 playoff bracket had Cleveland facing New York in the East and Oklahoma City facing San Antonio in the West. (nytimes.com) NBC Sports and CBS Sports both listed those conference finals matchups after the Cavaliers’ Game 7 win. Tuesday, May 19, was the next concrete date on Cleveland’s schedule. (heavy.com) The Cavaliers opened the Eastern Conference finals at Madison Square Garden against Jalen Brunson, Anunoby and the Knicks, while the Western Conference finals paired the Thunder with Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs. (nba.com) (nbcsports.com)