The Cleveland Cavaliers eliminate the Detroit Pistons and advance to the Eastern Conference finals after a lopsided Game 7 win. Multiple outlets report that Donovan Mitchell leads Cleveland with 26 points, while Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each score 23 in the 125-94 victory. The result sends the fourth-seeded Cavaliers past the East’s top-seeded Pistons and sets up an Eastern Conference finals matchup with the New York Knicks. Game 1 of the Knicks series is reported to begin Tuesday in New York.
Earlier in the series, reports also highlight Mitchell’s major turnaround in Game 4. He scores 39 points in the second half to tie an NBA playoff record for most points in a half, helping Cleveland even the series with a 112-103 win. One report notes Mitchell had a chance to break the record but misses a free throw on the final attempt. Across coverage, the central thread is Cleveland’s late-series scoring and Mitchell’s standout performances as the team closes out Detroit.
