The Cleveland Cavaliers are heading to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018 after a dominant 125-94 win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 on Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena.
After the game, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson repeatedly pointed to Donovan Mitchell as the driving force behind Cleveland’s road blowout and postseason breakthrough.
“He was better than Donovan Mitchell. Is that possible?” Atkinson said. “It started with him. His defense rebounding and then when he gets in the paint and starts making other people better.”
Mitchell finished with 26 points, eight assists and zero turnovers while helping Cleveland shoot 51% from the field and build a lead that reached 35 points in the second half.
Atkinson said Mitchell’s influence stretched far beyond Game 7.
“He kept this thing together this year when things weren’t going great,” Atkinson said. “He was the beacon, the light, his leadership. He carried us on the court.”
The Cavaliers dealt with injuries throughout the season, including absences for Sam Merrill, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen at different points. Atkinson said Mitchell’s leadership prevented the team from unraveling during difficult stretches.
“We could have splintered if your leader splinter,” Atkinson said. “But he stayed positive. He supported the young guys. He never got down on the group.”
Cleveland entered the postseason with questions after going 11-15 in playoff games over the previous three years. Atkinson said advancing to the conference finals represented an important step for the organization.
“Everybody says, ‘Oh, it doesn’t mean anything.’ No, it does mean something,” Atkinson said. “I’ve been saying all year we have a lot to prove. We still have more to prove, but we proved something to ourselves.”
The Cavaliers controlled the game early by avoiding the slow starts that hurt them earlier in the series. Cleveland led 31-22 after the first quarter and pushed the margin to 64-47 by halftime.
“When we play with force, it’s really the key,” Atkinson said. “Our force on both ends was the whole difference.”
Atkinson also highlighted Cleveland’s ball security against Detroit’s aggressive perimeter defense led by Ausar Thompson.
“We can’t turn it over four times in the first five minutes,” Atkinson said. “The tactical adjustment we made was avoiding Thompson. We were just like, if he’s near the ball, throw it to someone else.”
One of the biggest surprises came from Sam Merrill, who scored 23 points and knocked down five 3-pointers off the bench. Jarrett Allen also added 23 points and seven rebounds.
“I don’t know if this will go down as the Sam Merrill-Jarrett Allen game,” Atkinson said, “but Sam was unbelievable.”
Atkinson revealed that Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert influenced Cleveland’s focus on Allen before the game.
“He goes, ‘You know who the key to this whole thing is? The spark of this is Jarrett Allen,’” Atkinson said. “He was prophetic.”
Now Cleveland advances to face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals after New York swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the semifinals.
Atkinson, a New York native and former Knicks assistant coach, acknowledged the significance of returning to Madison Square Garden for the series.
“I’m a New Yorker,” Atkinson said. “Going back to the Garden, I know everybody there. My whole family’s there basically. So, that’s special.”
