Cavs reach first East Finals since 2018 with 31-point Game 7 victory, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins second-straight Kia MVP on Sunday.
Cavs advance in seven. Conference Finals set.
- East Finals: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
- West Finals: Spurs vs. Thunder
Tipping things off tonight?
The first Playoff matchup of two 62+ win teams since the turn of the century, as back-to-back Kia NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC host Wemby’s Spurs on NBC & Peacock (8:30 ET).
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
The Next Step: Mitchell powers Cavs past Pistons in Game 7, sending Cleveland to East Finals
Complete Cavs: Cleveland’s supporting cast shines as Cavs break through together
Cavs-Knicks: Two dynamic duos, two explosive offenses, one NBA Finals trip on the line
SGA, MVP Again: Shai wins second straight Kia NBA MVP ahead of tonight’s WCF Game 1
Spurs Ready: Wemby & Spurs accelerate into West Finals, hungry for more
BUT FIRST … ⏰
The NBA Playoffs are down to four teams, with Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals tipping off tonight on NBC/Peacock as the Spurs visit the Thunder (8:30 ET | Tap to Watch).
1. CAVS WIN GAME 7 IN DETROIT, ADVANCE TO EAST FINALS
They fell in the First Round in 2023.
They fell in the East Semis in 2024.
They fell again in the East Semis in 2025.
But on Sunday night, the Cavs finally broke through – returning to the East Finals for the first time since 2018.
Cavaliers 125, Pistons 94: Donovan Mitchell was clinical (26 pts, 6 reb, 8 ast), sparking a complete team effort as Cleveland never trailed after the opening minutes, outpacing Cade Cunningham (13 pts, 5 ast) and Detroit to take Game 7 on the road. | Recap
- Exclamation Point: Not only did the Cavs punch their first East Finals in eight years, but they also became just the third road team in NBA history to win a Game 7 by 30+ points
- All Cylinders: Jarrett Allen (23 pts, 7 reb), Sam Merrill (23 pts, 5 3s) and Evan Mobley (21 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast) joined Mitchell with 20+ as the four Cavs combined for 93 points
- Seizing Swing: Up five early in the 2nd quarter, the quartet fueled a 24-10 burst that stretched Cleveland’s lead to 20. Detroit never got within 15 again, as the Cavs finally clinched an East Finals berth
Mitchell’s Message: The Cavaliers came into the last 3 postseasons with high hopes, but each time fell short of their expectations. The locker room knew it. Cleveland knew it. The critics knew it.
Ahead of 2025-26, Mitchell didn’t hide from those disappointments – he embraced them.
- “We’re at a point now where it’s just time to go get it,” said Mitchell at Media Day in September. “We’ve run into the same wall three times in a row …
- “Mentally, you could stop and quit … but are we willing to hit our heads against the wall – keep pounding, keep going as we continue to make this push? I believe we are.”
That belief has been tested repeatedly over the last two weeks.
Seven games against Toronto in Round 1. A 2-0 hole against Detroit. A missed closeout opportunity at home in Game 6.
But on Sunday night, the Cavs responded the way Mitchell believed they would – and it started with him.
- The Catalyst: Mitchell, ranked 7th all-time in Playoff scoring average (27.8 ppg), spent the 1st half dissecting Detroit as a playmaker, piling up 11 points and 6 dimes before the break – his most assists in a half this postseason
- The Closer: Then Spida took over himself, scoring 15 in the 3rd to spark a 35-26 quarter – putting Cleveland up 100-73 entering the 4th
- “He was better than ‘Donovan Mitchell’ – is that possible?” said coach Kenny Atkinson postgame.
- “It started with him … when he gets in the paint and starts making people better … that was the key to the game. He had complete control.”
- The Result: Sunday marked just the third time all season Detroit allowed 100+ points through the first three quarters, as Cleveland rolled to its largest Game 7 win in franchise history
Now, the Cavs are back on the East Finals stage, and Mitchell – long established as one of this era’s most dangerous Playoff scorers – is there for the first time in his career.
And he’s not done yet.
- “It’s all about the belief in the locker room,” said Mitchell on this Playoff run. “I’ve been a believer, we’ve all been believers, since Day 1 – and we still got work to do.”
2. COMPLETE CAVS: CLEVELAND TAKES NEXT STEP TOGETHER
It takes one player to make a basket. But the entire possession stems from a collective effort, whether it comes via a turnover, a rebound or an assist that leads to a bucket.
Individuals don’t win games. And they don’t win Playoff series.
The Cavaliers proved in Game 7 that it truly takes a team.
- Historic Four: Cleveland became just the second team in the last 50 years to feature four or more 20-point scorers in a Game 7, led by Mitchell (26), Allen (23), Merrill (23) and Mobley (21)
- Reserve Roars: Merrill, who shot 5-for-8 from deep, also made individual history. His 23 points were the most by a Cav reserve in a Playoff game since bench points were first tracked in 1971
- “He was unbelievable,” said Atkinson of Merrill postgame. “You’ve seen it all year: winner.”
James Harden, now in his 17th Playoff run, has shouldered the scoring for other teams in the past, hoping to push them to championships.
He didn’t need to in Game 7. The 11x All-Star had nine points – his fewest this postseason – and still, Cleveland won by 31.
- Return Of The Beard: The Cavs’ next series against the Knicks will be the fifth Conference Finals appearance of Harden’s 17-year career, but his first since 2018
- First Impression: On Feb. 7, after he made his debut with Cleveland, he realized that their ability to play as a unit is unique
- “I like how together they are,” Harden said. “They’re well-connected. They’ve got the same mindset. They’re very unselfish. I’m just happy to be here.”
Allen and Mobley thrived offensively for 44 combined points, but made things happen on the defensive side of the ball, too.
- Board Brothers: The two combined for 19 rebounds, ensuring that possession remained in favor of Cleveland throughout the night
- Wrecking Crew: Together, they held Detroit to 34 points in the paint, which was its lowest this postseason since Game 1 of the First Round against Orlando
- “When we play with force on both ends, we’re really tough to beat,” said Atkinson postgame. “Tonight … that was the whole difference – our force.”
3. EAST FINALS FIRST LOOK: CAVS VS. KNICKS, QUICK
The Eastern Conference Finals are set.
Knicks. Cavs. Brunson & KAT. Mitchell & Harden. Hart, OG and the Garden. Allen, Mobley and the Land.
New York heart vs. Cleveland grit.
And for the first time, these franchises will meet with a trip to the NBA Finals at stake.
Before we dive deeper into Tuesday’s Game 1 (8 ET, ESPN), let’s set the stage for an East Finals between two longtime rivals, decades in the making.
- Superstar Guards: Donovan Mitchell (27.8 ppg) and Jalen Brunson (25.6) enter the series as two of the game’s most prolific Playoff scorers, ranking 5th and 11th, respectively, in all-time postseason scoring average (min. 75 GP)
- Dynamic Duos: Adding to the offensive power? Cleveland’s James Harden, ranked 10th on the all-time Playoff scoring list, and Karl-Anthony Towns, who boasts an NBA-best 62 double-doubles this season (regular season & Playoffs)
- What Awaits? Potential fireworks, as the Knicks (4th) and Cavs (6th) both ranked top-6 in regular-season OffRtg and are the top-2 scoring offenses, respectively, among all East Playoff teams this postseason
Little Separation: New York (No. 3 seed) and Cleveland (No. 4) didn’t just finish one game apart in the East standings – they also played their season series nearly even, with the Cavs outscoring the Knicks by just five points across three matchups (344-339).
- Good To Be Home: However, New York claimed the season series 2-1, with the home team taking all three games, highlighted by the Knicks’ 17-point 4th-quarter comeback at MSG on Christmas Day
Tuesday’s Game 1 will mark their first meeting at the Garden since the holiday thriller – now with an East title at stake.
4. SGA WINS SECOND STRAIGHT KIA MVP AS GAME 1 OF WCF NEARS
For the second straight season, SGA is synonymous with MVP.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took home the Kia NBA MVP Sunday for the 2025-26 regular season, making him just the 14th player to win the award in consecutive years and the sixth to do so at age 27 or younger. | Jeff Zillgitt On SGA’s MVP Mindset | SGA’s MVP Seasons By The Numbers
- “I’m not really after the success,” SGA said Sunday on winning the award. “There’s so many people in my life that sacrifice for me to just play this game …
- “… That’s really what it’s about – making sure that when I’m done, and I hang these shoes up, that I give everything I have to the game.”
How did he get here? Relentless work, ruthless consistency and a rare two-way game that few other elite scorers have ever matched, writes NBA.com’s Shaun Powell:
None of this would be possible without the work. The constant repetitive drills to sharpen his release and his footwork have long paid off. His slick ability to create space from his defender … followed by a step-back and elevation made him a tough assignment for defenders…
Speaking of defense, his own ability to apply the clamps made Shai a certified two-way player. How many other big-time scorers in NBA history also carried high value as a defender? Michael Jordan comes to mind, obviously. But few others, if any.
And this is where the conversation begins about Shai and where he fits in history. | Read More
SGA edged out Denver’s Nikola Jokić (2nd) and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (3rd) for the award.
Now comes an even greater challenge: leading OKC to a second straight NBA championship.
Tonight (8:30 ET, NBC & Peacock), SGA and the Thunder open the West Finals against Wemby’s Spurs in a rivalry showdown brimming with star power and championship stakes.
- OKC is 8-0 in the Playoffs, seeking the franchise’s first back-to-back titles behind SGA
- San Antonio returns to the West Finals for the first time since 2017 behind Wemby – who’s made history a nightly routine amid his first career Playoff run
But this West Finals is more than a rivalry – it’s a matchup between two young powerhouses, one fresh off its championship breakthrough and another rapidly emerging as a title threat of its own.
The first spark came in December, when San Antonio knocked off OKC in the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals – offering an early glimpse at a matchup that could evolve into something much larger.
- “There’s a good chance,” said SGA of this rivalry growing into something greater after the loss. “They are young, really good, have a lot of talent – play the right way … so yeah, it’s definitely a possibility.”
That possibility quickly became reality, as San Antonio won three straight meetings against OKC in 13 days en route to a 4-1 season-series win – accounting for nearly a quarter of the Thunder’s 18 losses.
- “You don’t lose to a team three times in a row in a short span without them being better than you,” said SGA after OKC’s third loss to San Antonio on Christmas Day
- “So we have to get better. We have to look in the mirror … if we want to reach our ultimate goal.”
Now, the ultimate goal is on the line.
Two of the regular season’s top-three teams, led by two of the game’s brightest stars, meet in an already elite rivalry with the potential to define the years ahead — with a trip to the NBA Finals at stake.
- Added OKC Boost: All-Star Jalen Williams, sidelined since April 22 with a hamstring injury, is listed as available for tonight’s Game 1
5. THE TIME IS NOW: WEMBY AND YOUNG SPURS READY FOR WEST FINALS
The last time we saw a Playoff series between two 62+ win teams was in the 1998 NBA Finals, when Michael Jordan led the Bulls past the Jazz for their sixth title.
The last time two 62+ win teams from the West met in the Playoffs? Fifty-four years ago, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Bucks faced Wilt Chamberlain’s Lakers.
Now, we have another.
While OKC is back in the West Finals for a second straight season, San Antonio’s climb has looked different as it went from missing last year’s postseason to standing four wins shy of the NBA Finals.
The key? Victor Wembanyama and a fearless young core playing well beyond their years, writes The Associated Press’ Dave Campbell:
The Spurs weren’t supposed to be this far along at this point in their development, entering the West Finals with confidence, momentum — and just about everything they need on the court except for significant Playoffs experience.
…Even though this group has logged only 11 Playoff games together, the Spurs clearly don’t look out of their element on the big stage.
“The nature of the Playoffs makes it that we’re going to play against better and better teams. There was already a leap between the first and second round…
“It’s going to be probably an even bigger leap between the second and third,” Wembanyama said. “We’ve got guidance. We’ve got a good coaching staff — the best, actually. So we can trust them.”
Starting tonight in Oklahoma City. | Read More
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