Game Thread: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons Game 7

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons are set to tip off Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at Little Caesars Arena! I'll be live updating this page throughout the game. Please comment with your thoughts throughout.

The Cavs have a clean injury report besides an ill Larry Nance Jr.. Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson will give it another go, and Kevin Huerter is also available. 

Starters:

Pistons - Cunningham, Jenkins, Thompson, Harris, Duren

Cavs - Harden, Mitchell, Strus, Mobley, Allen

FIRST QUARTER

Detroit and Cleveland both showed up. Electric (and split) environment.

Don's got the first two Cavs assists to each big man.

More aggressive start from the Cavs and their bigs getting precedent. Tobias Harris has been trying to get shots up but has been short on his early attempts for the Pistons. Daniss Jenkins with a couple threes early. Cleveland up 8-7 with 6:34 left in the first quarter.

Both teams taking care of the rock in this first quarter even against hard-nosed defenses. It's tied at 13 after a Vert rip away from JA and finish on the other end. Kenny Atkinson and Max Strus weren't happy about the play or non-call of something, didn't catch it.

Ausar Thompson went out of control with the ball again with Sam Merrill defending and drawing the charge. That was a collision and a half. 

Cavs have opened the first quarter with five threes, and they've made back-to-back. Sam Merrill's got two of those from the left corner. Don just made one at the top of the perimeter while moving left.

Make it six and back-to-back-to-back after Donovan Mitchell buries a 33-footer at the buzzer with 5.3 seconds left. Cavs up 31-22 after one.

END 1Q: Cavs 31, Pistons 22

CLE: Mitchell 6p, 3a, 2r. Mobley 5p, 4r, 2a. Allen 6p, 1r, stl. Wade 5p, 2a, 1r. Merrill 6p.

DET: Cunningham/Duren 4p, 3r, 1a. Jenkins 6p. 

SECOND QUARTER

Sam Merrill just got called for two fouls in four seconds.

Cavs have four offensive boards already to the Pistons' one so far. Dean Wade has two of 'em, while Ev and JA have one each.

Two fouls on Don now in the span of 22 seconds. He and Cavs doing everything else right otherwise, and with more conviction.

The Cavs have found Sam Merrill in the same left corner three times. He has knocked down all of those. Cleveland is hot right now, and Detroit is missing its paint opportunities with Jarrett Allen contesting. It's 41-26 for the roadies four-and-a-half minutes into the second.

Pistons come out with full-court pressure out of the timeout after Vert's corner trey goes down.

Harden picks up his second foul as well about midway through the period.

Pistons fans and J.B. Bickerstaff: Not a fan of the Harden Head Bob.

Three fouls on James Harden now with 4:52 until half. He, Mitchell, and Merrill have picked up multiple for the Cavs.

Jarrett Allen and Jalen Duren get tangled up for a rebound, and JA shoved him down as both had their hands on the ball. It JA was called a jump. LCA was not happy at Angry JA.

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have been incredible. Donovan Mitchell got started by sharing the wealth, and then got himself going. Sam Merrill's flamethrowing. Cavs came out with the foot on the gas pedal and have not looked back. It's 55-35 with 2:53 until half.

Tell you what, Donovan Mitchell is making the simple plays in spades. Jarrett Allen is feasting on the interior.

Cavs flat-out stomped the Pistons in the first half. It's 64-47, and that's easily their best 24 minutes of the playoffs to this point in either round.

HALF: Cavs 64, Pistons 47

CLE: Allen 15p, 3r, 1a, blk, stl. Mobley 12p, 7r, 4a. Mitchell 11p, 6a, 4r. Merrill 15p, 1r. Harden 6p, 3r, 3a. 

DET: Cunningham 12p, 5a, 3r, stl. Duren 6p, 6r, 1a, blk. LeVert/Robinson 7p, 1r, 1a. Jenkins 6p, 1a.

THIRD QUARTER

Cavs have started the second half on an 8-0 run. Donovan Mitchell floater followed up with a steal to get to the free-throw line, then JA and Ev play big-big ball, alternating turns. Strus got his first bucket of the night on a putback. It's 72-49. Danger zone for the Pistons.

Jarrett Allen getting his own personal chant from Cavs fans. He just drew a foul from Isaiah Stewart after James Harden was at the line, then got his own miss after he split the pair. Now he just dunked again & is going back to the line. He's a man possessed.

If you want to find something to be upset about, Cleveland has missed 12 free throws. Allen is 7-of-13, while Harden is 5-of-8. Cavs feel in total control, but it's still only 79-59 because of that with still six minutes left in the quarter.

This quarter was spent at the free-throw line. My goodness.

Don just picked up his fifth foul before the end of the third. 

Cavs lead it 99-73 with 12 minutes remaining. No let up. An increase in force, actually out of the locker room.

END 3Q: Cavs 99, Pistons 73

CLE: Mitchell 26p, 7a, 5r, blk, stl. Allen 23p, 7r, 1a, blk, stl. Mobley 16p, 8r, 4a, stl. Merrill 20p, 1r, 1a.

DET: Cunningham 12p, 5a, 3r, stl. Robinson 13p, 1r, 1a, stl. LeVert 11p, 2r, 2a. Jenkins 8p, 3a.

Oh my, Sam Merrill slow-step in transition. Jaylon Tyson loved that one.

Let's Go Cavs chants being heard loud and clear as Pistons fans vacate the premises. There is an entire fourth quarter to go.

Cavs describe themselves as even-keeled and say they don't ride the roller-coaster from game to game emotionally, but the unpredictable nature of their team on a nightly basis is astounding and may as well be a roulette wheel.