Winners and Losers: Cavs vs Pistons Game 7 – Donovan Mitchell owns the legacy game

The Cleveland Cavaliers did it again, capping off a thrilling series by crushing their opponent in Game 7. Credit to the Detroit Pistons — but the Cavs are all winners tonight.

Let’s go over today’s winners.

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WINNER – Donovan Mitchell

The best players in the league aren’t immune to criticism — they respond to it.

This game started with a good omen. Donovan Mitchell drove downhill twice in a row, using his gravity to draw multiple defenders before throwing a pair of dimes to Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. In just a handful of minutes, Mitchell exceeded his assist total from the previous game and showed a ‘pass first’ mentality that hasn’t been present throughout the postseason.

Mitchell had 6 assists by halftime, already more than he’d collected in any game this postseason. He’s taken flak for his process in the playoffs. He hasn’t always struck the correct balance between scoring and playmaking. That wasn’t an issue tonight. He set the table throughout Game 7, and his teammates had a feast.

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There’s value to hitting singles. Safe plays that get a runner on base and apply pressure on a defense can turn into runs. Mitchell took that approach tonight, giving up the ball early and trusting the offense to flow into a quality shot. That made all the difference.

The Cavs had a comfortable lead going into halftime, but the game was far from over. We’ve seen the Pistons claw back to avoid elimination four times already this postseason. I think Mitchell understood what was at stake — and promptly stepped on their throat to close it out. He erupted for 15 points in the third quarter, getting to the basket and making sure there’d be no more resurrections.

Mitchell entered this game with his legacy on the line, and left it with arguably the most sustainable version of a masterclass that we’ve seen from him in the playoffs. Spida ends with 26 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, and 0 turnovers.

WINNER – Sam Merrill

Detroit let the wrong one in.

The Pistons had managed to avoid a full-on Sam Merrill invasion throughout the previous six games of this series….

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Publish date : 2026-05-18 03:04:00

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