James Harden’s Cleveland Cavaliers erased a 31‑point deficit to defeat the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons 125‑94 in Game 7, sending the Cavs to the Eastern Conference Finals. Donovan Mitchell poured 26 points, while Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each added 23. The win breaks a two‑season playoff slump and marks the first conference‑final berth for the Cavs since 2018.

Cleveland capitalised on Detroit’s poor shooting, turning missed shots into fast‑break points to lead 31‑22 early. A 24‑9 burst in the second quarter pushed the lead to 64‑47 at halftime, a margin the Pistons never recovered from. Detroit’s offensive woes deepened as the Cavs’ defense tightened, leaving the Pistons with a 35‑point deficit at one point in the final quarter.

The victory propels Kenny Atkinson’s squad into their first conference finals since 2018, where they will face the New York Knicks, who swept the Philadelphia 76ers after a week of rest. Mitchell said the team’s resilience has finally paid off, noting the long‑standing hurdle of reaching the NBA Finals has been cleared. Cleveland ends a decade‑long playoff plateau for the franchise once.