Cleveland Cavaliers Stun Detroit Pistons to Claim Game Seven and Reach Conference Finals
James Harden's Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a commanding 125-94 victory over the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons in Game Seven, propelling them into the Eastern Conference Finals. Star guard Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 26 points, while teammates Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill contributed 23 points each. This victory marks a significant turnaround for the Cavaliers, who have faced elimination in the second round for the past two seasons. Under the guidance of coach Kenny Atkinson, the Cavaliers are advancing to their first conference finals since 2018. They are set to face the New York Knicks, who recently completed a series sweep over the Philadelphia 76ers. Mitchell expressed his excitement, stating, "We didn't just come here just to win a goal. We're just one step closer. It's been almost a decade of running into the same issue. As a team, we can breathe a little bit, but we can only breathe for about 12 hours, and then get right back to it." For the Pistons, Daniss Jenkins scored 17 points, while Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson each added 13 points. Cunningham reflected on the loss, saying, "That game sucked. It reminded me of last year, losing on home court. It's not a great feeling." The Cavaliers capitalized on Detroit's poor shooting early on, leading 31-22 at the end of the first quarter. A decisive 24-9 run in the second quarter gave Cleveland a commanding 64-47 halftime lead. The Pistons struggled offensively, allowing the Cavaliers to build a lead of up to 35 points in the second half, sealing a dominant victory.
Source: Sky Sports - 2026-05-18