The Cleveland Cavaliers watched the Fro dominate another Game 7, beating the Detroit Pistons and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
26 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 0 turnovers
I said it in my recap. I repeated it in winners and losers. And, I’ll say it one more time.
I think we just watched the best and most mature game of Donovan Mitchell’s playoff career.
He didn’t unload the clip and go down swinging like years past. No, Mitchell started the game with three straight assists, working his way downhill and giving it up to his teammates to set the tone. The Cavs’ offense flowed methodically through Mitchell as he weaved in and out of possessions without ever dominating the ball.
Mitchell was a playmaker, only until the perfect moment for him to seize full control arrived. He scored 15 points in the third quarter, building a huge lead and slamming the door on any realistic chance of a Pistons comeback.
Grade: A+++
James Harden
9 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover
This is the first game of the series where I didn’t notice Harden. That’s… actually a good thing.
Harden shot 2-10 from the floor and 0-6 from downtown. That could be frightening in other circumstances. But he only turned it over once, and dished out 6 assists while comfortably playing without the ball. The process was better than the results, and the Cavs finally gave him enough support to where this type of performance can somehow register a plus-30 in the boxscore.
Grade: C+
Evan Mobley
21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Evan Mobley has grown up quite a bit in this postseason. He gradually found his stride versus Toronto and showed every bit of that growth in Game 7 against the Pistons.
Mobley once again dipped his hands in every cookie jar tonight. He did a little bit of everything, dominating the paint, dishing out assists, and shutting down numerous Detroit possessions with his defensive versatility. The numbers from his last four games of the series say it all.
Grade: A+
Jarrett Allen
23 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
What more can I say?
The lights don’t get brighter than Game 7. Allen has seemed totally unbothered by the stakes this postseason, matching or exceeding any physicality that’s thrown at him. He muscled Jalen Duren out of bounds and forced a jumpball at one point in this game — only to later punish the rim with consecutive dunks in the third quarter.
The Cavs play their best basketball when Allen does stuff like this. Let’s keep that going and officially exorcise some demons in Madison Square Garden.
Grade: A+
Dean Wade
5 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
Wade was moved out of the starting lineup in favor of Max Strus. That worked out well for the Cavs, and Wade himself. He looked more comfortable with less pressure on him coming off the bench. Wade nailed his first three-point attempt and then cut to the rim for a tough finish shortly after.
Grade: B+
Max Strus
9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
This grade is vibes-based. Nothing I tell you about his box score will accurately represent the impact Strus had. I’ll focus on the way he battles for every loose ball, getting his hand on nearly every available rebound, even if he doesn’t secure it himself.
Grade: A–
Dennis Schroder
2 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 turnovers
This is the type of game you want from Schroder. Obviously, being part of a 30-point win makes that easy to say. But Schroder was steady through the night, keeping the offense flowing while being a pest defensively. He didn’t step outside of his comfort zone, and that’s worth a lot.
Grade: B
Sam Merrill
23 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal
Merrill finally found his groove, burying the Pistons in Game 7 with his three-point shooting. He connected on four triples in the first half and bent Detroit’s defense out of shape the rest of the way. His shooting forced them to stay attached, and that opened the floodgates for everyone else.
He also took a TOUGH charge on Ausar Thompson in the first half. He earns credit just for getting back up after that.
Grade: A+++