The Cavs Survived a Game 7 Over the Raptors and Now They Get the Pistons in Round 2

While everybody was watching Detroit-Orlando close out Sunday, the Cavs and Raptors were in the middle of their own Game 7 madness up in Cleveland.

The Cavs won 114-102 to advance, but the score makes it look easier than it was. Toronto had this game tied early in the third quarter. Cleveland needed Jarrett Allen to pull a Game 7 hero performance out of his back pocket.

Allen finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds. Tied his playoff career high in scoring. The 22-19 line is the kind of thing you put on a poster. Donovan Mitchell added 22 of his own and James Harden chipped in 18. Cavs needed every bit of all three of them.

Toronto won’t go away quietly

Give the Raptors credit. Nobody expected them to push the Cavs to 7. Nobody. Darko Rajakovic has them playing harder and smarter than they have in years. The Raptors won Games 3 and 4 in Toronto, won Game 6 in OT, and were one good fourth quarter from advancing.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett are a real young core. Brandon Ingram has been doing Brandon Ingram things. Jakob Poeltl is a problem in the paint. This team is going to be back in the playoffs next year and probably with a higher seed.

Toronto led at halftime and was tied with Cleveland early in the third before the Cavs pulled away. Scottie Barnes had a strong series. RJ Barrett hit the game-winner in Game 6 that forced this Game 7. Brandon Ingram was banged up (right heel) most of the series and missed Game 6. Healthier Toronto with a healthy Ingram next year is going to be a problem for whoever draws them.

The Cavs are running on fumes

Here’s the thing about the Cavs: they had to play seven games to get out of round 1, and they weren’t pretty games. They lost Game 6 in OT in Toronto. Their best players have been on the floor for a LOT of minutes. And now they get the Pistons starting Tuesday — Detroit’s also coming off a 7-game series, but Detroit had two extra days of rest because their Game 7 was Sunday afternoon while the Cavs played Sunday night.

Donovan Mitchell has been carrying this team all year. Evan Mobley has been good defensively but his offense comes and goes. Allen is the steady guy who shows up every night. James Harden’s been… Harden. Some good games, some games where you wonder if he’s even trying.

The Cavs aren’t a bad team. They went 52-30 in the regular season. They’ve been a 4-seed for a reason. But they’re banged up, tired, and now have to play a Pistons team that just got their swagger back.

ESPN’s expert panel had it 6-2 Pistons. That feels right.

The bigger picture

The East semifinals are going to be wild. Pistons vs Cavs and Knicks vs 76ers. Both series feature at least one team coming off a Game 7. Both series have some level of “this team should be tired” angle. Whoever advances has to be ready to deal with the Thunder/Spurs/Wolves/Lakers winners on the other side.

Round 2 starts Tuesday. The Pistons-Cavs Game 1 tips at 7 ET in Detroit on Peacock. Knicks-76ers Game 1 tips at 8 ET in New York on NBC.

Buckle up.