Cleveland demonstrated their playoff experience Sunday night, delivering a commanding Game 7 performance on the road in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Their veteran presence showed, and that familiarity with high-pressure situations made all the difference.
Donovan Mitchell topped all players with 26 points, while Jarrett Allen delivered another standout performance in a series-deciding game, helping Cleveland secure their Eastern Conference finals berth with a dominant 125-94 victory over Detroit in the final game of their semifinal matchup.
Allen dominated his matchup against Jalen Duren 23-7, Sam Merrill contributed 23 points coming off the bench, and Evan Mobley recorded his series-first double-double with 21 points and a game-leading 12 rebounds. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers will now battle the third-seeded New York Knicks in a best-of-seven series beginning Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Cleveland wasted little time looking toward their next challenge.
“This is fantastic. I’m excited, believe me. But we’ve got to be more disciplined (Tuesday),” Mitchell told a television audience, making a reference to two series-opening losses at Detroit, then a defeat at home in Game 6 with a chance to advance. “We shouldn’t have to wait to get hit, to get punched in the mouth and face a go-home situation.”
Dominating the top-seeded Pistons across all aspects of the game, Cleveland established a 20-point advantage during the opening half, stretched their lead to 26 points in the third quarter, and cruised to their first Eastern finals appearance since defeating the Boston Celtics in seven games during 2018.
Detroit’s quest to reach the Eastern finals continues for an 18th straight season, as All-Star guard Cade Cunningham struggled to a 13-point performance while missing all seven attempts from beyond the arc, and Tobias Harris went scoreless from the field on six attempts, finishing with just five points.
Extending their Game 7 winning streak to six straight dating to 2008, Cleveland shot 50.6% (43 of 85) compared to Detroit’s 35.3% (30 of 85) while controlling the boards 50-41.
Allen, who recorded 22 points and 19 rebounds when Cleveland required a Game 7 to eliminate the Toronto Raptors in the opening round, scored 15 of his 23 points before halftime. He praised Mitchell’s approach for setting the early tone.
“He started out the game not trying to take it over, not trying to score every single basket,” the big man praised in a televised on-court interview moments after the final horn. “He started the game trying to distribute the ball. That’s huge for a leader like him — trying to get everybody else going, then getting himself going second.”
The decisive victory should benefit Cleveland’s preparation for their upcoming series, with just one day of rest before traveling to New York.
“We know it’s going to be a loud environment. But we know that we can do it,” Allen boasted. “We came into an incredible arena like this and took over the game. We just have to do it again.”
Daniss Jenkins paced Detroit with 17 points and five assists, while Duncan Robinson added 13 points and Caris LeVert contributed 11. Duren led the team with nine rebounds.
During his postgame media session, Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff praised Cleveland while looking ahead to future opportunities.
“We knew it was going to be a tough series and a tough test for us. (The Cavaliers) outplayed us; give them credit for it,” he said. “Just like last year (when the Pistons lost in the first round to the Knicks), we’ll put it in our pocket. We’ll learn from it, and next year we’ll grow and be a better team.”
