The Cleveland Cavaliers are headed back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Cleveland dismantled the Detroit Pistons 125-94 in Game 7 on Sunday night, closing out the Eastern Conference Semifinals in dominant fashion after trailing 0-2 earlier in the series. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers now advance to face the New York Knicks in their first conference finals appearance since 2018.
Donovan Mitchell led the charge with 26 points, including a game-breaking third quarter where he poured in 15 points as Cleveland turned a competitive game into a rout. Jarrett Allen added 23 points and seven rebounds, while Evan Mobley delivered 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks in a complete two-way performance. Sam Merrill gave Cleveland a major spark off the bench with 23 points and five three-pointers.
Cavaliers Controlled Every Phase
The Cavaliers controlled the game with superior efficiency and physicality. Cleveland shot 50.6% from the field, outrebounded Detroit 50-41, and dominated the paint 58-34. Their ball movement was sharp all night, finishing with 31 assists while forcing 14 Pistons turnovers.
Detroit never found offensive rhythm.
Cade Cunningham scored 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting, while Dennis Jenkins led the Pistons with 17 points. Jalen Duren added seven points and nine rebounds, but Detroit shot just 35.3% from the floor in the elimination loss.
From 0-2 to the Conference Finals
What began as a nightmare series for Cleveland turned into a statement comeback.
The Pistons stunned the Cavaliers by taking the first two games of the series, putting the East's top contender in immediate danger. Cleveland responded by winning four of the next five, including an overtime survival in Game 5 before delivering the knockout blow in Game 7.
Eastern Conference Semifinals - Full Results
| Game 1 | Pistons 111, Cavaliers 101 |
| Game 2 | Pistons 107, Cavaliers 97 |
| Game 3 | Cavaliers 116, Pistons 109 |
| Game 4 | Cavaliers 112, Pistons 103 |
| Game 5 | Cavaliers 117, Pistons 113 (OT) |
| Game 6 | Pistons 115, Cavaliers 94 |
| Game 7 | Cavaliers 125, Pistons 94 ✓ |
Cleveland did it despite missing key rotation depth late in the series, showing resilience after a shaky start.
What's Next
Now comes the real test.
The Cavaliers will face the New York Knicks with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.
