Story perspectives

Cavaliers Crush Pistons 125-94, Advance to Eastern Finals

5/18/2026

Summary

Cavaliers Advance

The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 125-94 in Game 7, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.
Cleveland's win featured 26 points from Donovan Mitchell, 23 from Jarrett Allen and 21 points with 12 rebounds from Evan Mobley, sending the Cavs to their first conference final since 2018.
Sam Merrill posted 23 points, his first 20-point postseason game, and Cleveland will meet the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Summary

Cavaliers Re-sign Merrill

Cleveland retained Merrill on a bargain contract after no other team offered more in free agency.
Merrill entered the NBA as the 60th overall pick in the 2020 draft, dubbed “Mr. Irrelevant.”
His four-year, $46 million deal averages $9.5 million per year, well below peers such as Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Caris LeVert.
Coach Kenny Atkinson plans to cut Merrill’s minutes and use wing options like Jaylon Tyson, Max Strus or Dean Wade.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, the Houston Rockets entered the national NBA playoffs as the sixth seed and captured the championship, defying expectations. Led by Hakeem Olajuwon, the Rockets defeated the Orlando Magic 4-0, with Olajuwon averaging 27.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Similarly, the 2024 Cleveland Cavaliers, propelled by late-draft pick Sam Merrill’s 23-point Game 7 surge and stars Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley, advanced to the Eastern Conference finals after a seven-year hiatus. The Rockets’ upset cemented the league’s belief that lower-seeded teams and overlooked players can reshape championship trajectories, a mindset guiding today’s Cavs roster construction.

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Cavaliers Advance

The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 125-94 in Game 7, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.
Cleveland's win featured 26 points from Donovan Mitchell, 23 from Jarrett Allen and 21 points with 12 rebounds from Evan Mobley, sending the Cavs to their first conference final since 2018.
Sam Merrill posted 23 points, his first 20-point postseason game, and Cleveland will meet the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

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