Cavaliers Crush Pistons 125-94 in G7, Reach ECF

Sport

By lines

May 17, 2026

The Cavaliers Game 7 performance left no doubt about the result. Cleveland dominated the Detroit Pistons 125-94 on Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena. Donovan Mitchell led the Cleveland Cavaliers with 26 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds in 31 minutes. The Cleveland Cavaliers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018.

What the Blowout Reveals Heading Into the ECF

Coach Kenny Atkinson revealed a decisive Game 7 tactical adjustment after the win. Atkinson told reporters the Cavaliers avoided giving Ausar Thompson the ball on every offensive possession. That read neutralized Detroit’s most disruptive defensive wing throughout the night. Cleveland executed on both ends to post a 31-point margin on Detroit’s home floor, per ESPN.

The Detroit Pistons entered Game 7 as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Detroit’s collapse exposed structural questions that will define the franchise’s offseason. Ausar Thompson air-balled a wide-open corner three in the second quarter of Game 7. Jalen Duren missed a wide-open layup in the fourth quarter with the game already decided. CBS Sports reported the pairing of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren raises pressing questions for Detroit’s front office.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert chartered 25 buses (approximately 1,200 fans) to Detroit for Game 7. The road crowd chanted “Let’s go Cavs!” audibly inside Little Caesars Arena. ESPN noted the Cleveland Cavaliers’ win marked the franchise’s first ECF appearance in eight years. NBA.com credited Jarrett Allen’s interior defense alongside Donovan Mitchell as a decisive factor in the series.

Cleveland faces the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Knicks wing OG Anunoby practiced Sunday with a right hamstring injury ahead of the series. Anunoby told reporters the hamstring “is not as bad as the one” from the 2024 playoffs. The winner of the Knicks-Cavaliers series advances to the NBA Finals. CBS Sports confirmed the Eastern Conference Finals matchup is set with both teams rested after series-clinching wins.