Cleveland wins Game 7 118‑91, eliminates Pistons to reach Eastern Conference semis

The Cleveland Cavaliers closed out the Detroit Pistons 125-94 on Sunday, May 17, in Game 7 at Little Caesars Arena, sending Cleveland to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, according to NBA.com. Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill scored 23 points each, and Evan Mobley added 21 as Cleveland turned a close series finale into a rout in the second half. The win gave the Cavaliers a 4-3 series victory and set up a conference finals matchup with the New York Knicks. ### How one-sided was Game 7 by the end? Cleveland finished with a 31-point margin after leading by 35 at its largest, according to NBA.com’s game summary. The Cavaliers outscored Detroit across the game’s key possession categories, including 58-34 in points in the paint and 18-11 in second-chance points. The Cavaliers shot 50.6% from the field, while Detroit shot 35.3%, NBA.com said. Cleveland also won the rebounding battle 69-52 and committed 11 turnovers to Detroit’s 14. ### Which Cavaliers drove the result? Mitchell’s 26 points came without a turnover, according to the NBA.com box score. His eight assists were the game high, and his seven rebounds tied him for second among Cleveland’s starters. Allen scored 23 points on 10-for-13 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds. Merrill also had 23 points and hit five 3-pointers, while Mobley finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, giving Cleveland four players with at least 20 points. Max Strus added 16 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland. The Cavaliers had 31 assists on 41 made field goals, according to NBA.com. ### What happened to Detroit’s offense? Detroit was held to 94 points after averaging more than 108 points per game in the series entering Sunday, according to NBA.com game logs. The Pistons managed 30.8% shooting from 3-point range and were limited to 34 points in the paint. Daniss Jenkins led Detroit with 17 points, while Jalen Duren had 12 points and nine rebounds, NBA.com said. Cade Cunningham finished with 11 points and five assists as Cleveland’s defense kept Detroit from mounting a sustained run. The Pistons had only one tie and led briefly early, according to NBA.com’s game chart. Cleveland used an 11-0 run and then a larger second-half burst to break the game open. ### How did the series turn back toward Cleveland? Detroit entered the middle of the series with an edge, but Cleveland won the final two games to take the matchup 4-3. ESPN’s schedule page showed the series had extended to a Game 7 after Cleveland stayed alive in Game 6. Sunday’s result completed a reversal for a Cavaliers team that had been pushed to the brink in the conference semifinals. NBA.com listed the series as Cleveland over Detroit, 4-3, immediately after the final. ### Who comes next, and when? The NBA’s official 2026 playoff schedule lists Cleveland against New York in the Eastern Conference finals. The Western Conference finals matchup is Oklahoma City against San Antonio, according to the same league schedule. The NBA schedule page said conference finals game dates would be updated as officially announced. As of May 17, the bracket had Cleveland and New York set on one side and Oklahoma City and San Antonio on the other, with the league’s playoff schedule page carrying the latest timing and broadcast details.