The Cleveland Cavaliers did it. They pulled off a historic Game 7 upset over the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to advance and take on the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
With help from another impressive performance from franchise superstar Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers are back in the conference finals for the first time since 2018. In the upset win, Mitchell dominated, finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, and eight assists.
Cleveland took the lead with 4:14 left in the first quarter and ran with it, resulting in a 125-94 blowout win over Detroit while on the road.
Kenny Atkinson Gives High Praise to Donovan Mitchell Following Game 7 Win
Donovan Mitchell continues to shine bright for the Cavaliers, with this postseason run being the best since joining the team in 2022. With a lot of work yet to do, head coach Kenny Atkinson gave high praise to the 29-year-old phenom after the Game 7 win.
In the locker room following the win, Atkinson addressed the entire team. He highlighted Donovan Mitchell’s leadership and his ability never to hang his head, even when things look bad.
“I was gonna do this whether we won or whether we lost. We turn to you, Donovan Mitchell.” Atkinson said. “Not just your on-court but your leadership. Your positivity when things are not going great… We never celebrate you in these things… You don’t want the praise tonight; you deserve the praise. You’re going home, and you deserve this more than everybody.”
Atkinson continued the praise when speaking to the press following the win.
“He (Mitchell) had complete control of the game. I couldn’t be happier for him to make that next step,” Atkinson said. “He kept this thing together this year when things weren’t going great. He was the beacon, the light… He was the guy who carried us, and when things weren’t going great, he was the person everyone looked to.”
Donovan Mitchell Advances to First Conference Finals in Nine-Year Career
Throughout his nine-year career with the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell has finally reached his first conference finals berth.
While Mitchell was with the Utah Jazz from 2017 to 2022, the franchise was in the mix in the Western Conference. Utah even finished as high as the No. 1 seed in the 2020-21 regular season, just to be eliminated in the second round by the Los Angeles Clippers.
This same luck carried over to his new team when the Cavaliers traded for him in 2022. Cleveland finished the regular season with the second-best record in the league at 64-18 in 2025.
Injuries took a toll on the Cavs. Darius Garland and Evan Mobley missed time throughout the postseason, resulting in Cleveland’s elimination in the second round by the Indiana Pacers.
Fast forward to 2026, and Cleveland was sick of the disappointment. Donovan Mitchell is the top guy for the Cavaliers, and made the win-now move of trading away Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for former NBA MVP James Harden at the 2026 trade deadline.
This move has been essential to the Cavaliers’ success. Although Harden hasn’t been as reliable as expected, pairing his leadership and playmaking with Donovan Mitchell’s has helped Cleveland earn a ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game 1 will take place on Tuesday, May 19. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EDT.
Cavaliers Head Coach Praises Donovan Mitchell Following Game 7 Win Over Pistons