In a thrilling showdown during Game 7 on Sunday, the Detroit Pistons faced off against the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Pistons guard Marcus Sasser delivering a crucial 3-pointer late in the first quarter. This shot trimmed the Cavaliers’ lead to just six points, offering a glimmer of hope for the home team after being outplayed in the early moments.
However, Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell had no intention of relinquishing control. After receiving an inbounds pass from Evan Mobley, Mitchell swiftly advanced the ball up the court and launched a long-range shot from just inside mid-court. The ball banked off the glass and swished through the net, extending Cleveland’s lead to nine points. The Pistons struggled to close the gap for the remainder of the game.
With Mitchell at the helm, the Cavaliers dominated the match, securing a resounding 125-94 victory. This performance marked one of the most commanding Game 7 road wins in NBA history. Mitchell showcased his talents with 26 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and no turnovers, propelling his team to the conference finals for the first time in his career.
“It’s a breath of fresh air,” Mitchell remarked about advancing to the conference finals. “But as we said when the season started, this wasn’t our end goal. Even last year, after our loss to Indiana, we aimed for the Finals, and now we’re one step closer. After nearly a decade of hitting the same wall, it’s a relief. Yet, we can only savor this moment briefly before refocusing on the task ahead.”
The Cavaliers are set to make their first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals since 2018. They will face the New York Knicks and notably, this marks their first ECF journey without LeBron James since 1992. Historically, the Cavs have never reached the Finals without James on their roster.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson praised Mitchell’s outstanding performance, saying, “He was exceptional, possibly beyond description. It all started with him. His defense, rebounding, and ability to enhance his teammates’ play were crucial. His command of the game, particularly in distributing the ball to our big men, was pivotal to our success.”
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Mitchell had been extremely inconsistent through the first six games of the series and was coming off a no-show in Game 6 on Friday night when he put up 18 points on 6-of-20 shooting from the field with a chance to clinch his first trip to the conference finals. He got another chance on Sunday and wouldn’t let it slip.
“He started out the game not trying to take it over, not trying to score every single basket,” Jarrett Allen said. “He started the game trying to distribute the ball. I think that’s huge for a leader like him. Trying to get everybody else going and then getting himself going second.”
Mitchell’s eight assists were his most in a game this postseason, and he became the first guard since Kobe Bryant in 2002 to have at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists with zero turnovers in a Game 7.
The Cavaliers will need this version of Mitchell, a new York native, against the Knicks if they want to pull off an upset in that series. He’s struggled at times this postseason, but when he plays well, the Cavaliers win. They are now 5-1 when Mitchell scores at least 25 points and 3-5 when he does not.
“Me and my fianceé joked that we’d be at home regardless, right?” Mitchell said. “So we might as well play some basketball while we’re at the crib. It’s gonna be special for sure.”
