Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a dominant wire-to-wire performance to defeat the Detroit Pistons, 125-94, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday (Philippine time).

Playing a do-or-die game on the Pistons’ home floor, the fourth-seeded Cavaliers seized control early and never let up, eliminating the East’s top seed to punch their ticket to the conference finals.

Cleveland set the tone in the opening quarter, building a 31-22 lead capped by Mitchell’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer. The Cavaliers extended their advantage in the second period, taking a 64-47 lead into halftime behind balanced scoring and efficient shooting.

The rout continued in the third quarter as Cleveland stretched the margin to 99-73, effectively putting the game out of reach. The Cavaliers outscored the Pistons in every quarter and led by as many as 31 points in the final period.

Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each added 23 points for Cleveland, while Evan Mobley contributed 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Cavaliers’ depth and defense overwhelmed a Detroit squad that struggled to find rhythm offensively throughout the game.

Cleveland advances to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018 and the ninth time in franchise history. The Cavaliers will face the third-seeded New York Knicks, with Game 1 set for Wednesday (PH time) in New York.

Detroit, which entered the series as the conference’s top seed, saw its postseason run end with its most lopsided loss of the playoffs.