Donovan Mitchell poured in 26 points, dished out eight assists and collected six rebounds on Sunday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons in Game 7, clinching a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time with Mitchell on the roster.
“A breath of fresh air,” the guard said after the victory, acknowledging the relief of finally moving beyond the second round after several short playoff runs in both Utah and Cleveland. “We’re just one step closer.”
The Cavaliers seized control early at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and never trailed, quelling outside speculation that another early exit might prompt significant offseason changes. The decisive performance followed a Game 6 home loss that had amplified questions about the club’s postseason ceiling.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson noted that the series win represented the progress the franchise targeted since training camp. “On day one I showed the players our 11–15 playoff record over the last three years,” he said. “We had a lot to prove. Tonight we proved something to ourselves.”
Next, Cleveland meets the New York Knicks in the conference finals. Game 1 is set for Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, with ESPN televising the entire best-of-seven series on an every-other-day schedule; all games will tip off at 8 p.m.
Source: Hoops Wire
