After pulling off a gritty late-game upset on the road against the Pistons in Detroit last week, the last thing most expected from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday was an utter dud in a Game 6 that would have punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals. But the Cavs put forth exactly that: They were blitzed in the third quarter, shot 39% from the field with 20 turnovers, got 12-for-33 shooting from their two star guards, James Harden (eight turnovers) and Donovan Mitchell (a minus-25 for the game) and lost, 115-94.
Now comes Game 7 for two teams that have both appeared, at times, to be more afraid of losing than they are eager to win. And it’s not just a Game 7 that will determine the fates of the two teams here to close the 2025-26 season. It’s a Game 7 that will be reverberate around the league, this summer and for years to come.
Cavaliers Stars Badly Need Game 7 Win
The big changes could come with the Cavaliers loss, which would be devastating for a team that deserves credit for being aggressive with its roster in the past year–Cleveland is the only team in the second apron of the luxury tax.
But a loss on Sunday means:
Donovan Mitchell could be traded. Mitchell is eligible to sign an extension this offseason. But the Cavs might not be willing to offer it to him–and he might not want to sign it in Cleveland–if this team sputters in the second round again.
James Harden’s free agency gets complicated. Harden has a player option for $42 million next year. Another playoff flop, and he might opt in and put the Cavs in a tricky situation.
Kenny Atkinson’s job would be in jeopardy. The coach always takes the fall.
LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo trade gets closer. A second-round loss will open the Cavs to a willingness to ship out Evan Mobley (for Antetokounmpo?) or Jarrett Allen (for James?). A lot of work would need to be done between now and then, but the Cavaliers would have to be open to breaking up the frontcourt as part of an overhaul.
That’s not just going to affect what happens in Cleveland, obviously. Those decisions will impact the league has a whole. The Cavs might not take all of the above actions, but they’ll take some.
Pistons’ Jalen Duren Seeking Payday
It’s not as dramatic for the Pistons, but again, there are choices to be made here for Detroit, which had the best record in the East last season but had clear weaknesses–shooting, secondary ballhandling–exposed in the playoffs.
So what could change?
Jalen Duren’s number. No, the Pistons won’t let Duren walk in restricted free agency, but his struggles in the playoffs certainly takes pressure off Detroit to come at him with a max contract offer. The fact that Duren is restricted and might not get other offers means the Pistons can be patient.
Duncan Robinson future. The Pistons have lived with Robinson as a defensive liability but only $2 million of his $16 million next year is guaranteed. A Pistons trip to the conference finals might persuade the team to keep as much together as possible–but a loss might be a reason to rethink the team’s construction and create free-agent space.
Paul Reed’s payday. Reed is on a two-year deal but next season is not guaranteed. He proved to be a game-changer in this series, after having played just 21 minutes in the first nine playoff games in Detroit. It did not look like the Pistons had Reed in their future plans, but they could be inspired to pick up his $5.6 million for next year if this playoff run continues.
Cavaliers-Pistons Game 7: Monster Stakes Before Eastern Conference Finals