Cleveland Cavaliers fans breathed a collective sigh of relief after their team (finally) dispatched the pesky Toronto Raptors Sunday night.
Who’s next? Just the No. 1 Detroit Pistons, who clawed their way out of a 3-1 hole to defeat the Orlando Magic in their own Sunday Game 7. Despite winning 60 games in the regular season, the Pistons could be considered underdogs against the Cavs… if the Cavs had played the way a team with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen was supposed to play against the Raptors (who were without their starting point guard Immanuel Quickley for the entire series and lost All-Star forward Brandon Ingram in Game 5).
Instead, Cleveland was unable to win a road game and looked like a team scared to lose rather than one that wanted to win. That attitude, the disjointed offense, turnovers and inconsistent defense won’t play well against the Pistons, who are rapidly gaining confidence and playoff experience. The teams split the season series 2-2, if you think there’s anything worth gleaning from games played months ago (there isn’t, really).
Can the Cavaliers forget the Raptors (and all the existential questions that would have resulted from first-round exit) and hit their stride? Or will Detroit ride its three-game winning streak and home-court advantage into the conference finals? Let’s discuss what’s ahead:
Why did the Cavs and Pistons win their first-round series?
Joe Vardon on Cavs: I can’t honestly say, other than … they worked hard enough for the first 82 games to make sure Game 7 was at home?
This was a hard series to watch from a Cleveland perspective. Favored in every game, I’d argue the Cavs fumbled away two of them and were beaten soundly in a third. Despite, on paper, having more talent, more experience, and certainly better health.
So, we could say the Cavs wore a shorthanded Toronto team down. Or, we could say it was a combination of a hot start by Cleveland’s stars, followed by just enough at the right moments from the team’s bench and from Jarrett Allen, and the sheer fact that the home team won every game in this series.
Yeah, let’s go with that. The point is, obviously, Cleveland didn’t play very well and was fortunate the Raptors were so shorthanded by the end.
Eric Koreen on Cavs: Some of it was attrition. Their series against Toronto was pretty even — at least until Brandon Ingram exited and Scottie Barnes hurt his quad in the second quarter of Game 5. The Cavaliers stayed healthy, and as the team with more scoring going into the series, advanced.
That is not to discount their ability. At times against Toronto, the Cavaliers looked like the lethal offensive machine that they were for much of the regular season. Evan Mobley was a factor in all of the games in Cleveland, while their back line defended well. But the Cavaliers didn’t so much impress as they did advance, with the guards overcoming some efficiency and turnover problems.
Josh Robbins on Pistons: Cade Cunningham was dominant when it mattered most, carrying the Pistons in their victories. Detroit also amped up its defense during the third quarter of Game 2, Game 5 and the second half of Game 6. Also, credit the Pistons for their resilience to come back from a 3-1 series deficit. The absence of the Magic’s Franz Wagner contributed to the Pistons’ victories over the final three games, but less-gritty teams than the Pistons likely would have wilted.
Hunter Patterson on Pistons: It took the Pistons all seven games, but they eventually returned to form and remembered they were the better team. Detroit cut down on turnovers, limited second-chance points and forced Orlando to try to beat it in the halfcourt. The Pistons’ defensive prowess flipped this series in their favor.
And to Josh’s point, Cunningham was consistently the best player on the floor. He averaged 32.4 points, 7.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds on 46/40/84 shooting splits. When Detroit needed him to be at his best, he had no problem doing so to bring it from the brink of elimination to its first playoff series win since 2008.
What did we learn about the Cavs and Pistons that should carry forward to the next series? How do they match up in the second-round?
Vardon on Cavs: That they are vulnerable. Extremely vulnerable to ball pressure, to length on the wings, to teams that are willing to grab and claw and get into their chests. I think any playoff team that challenges Cleveland physically has a chance to advance. This is simply not an organization built to bang. But if you give the Cavs space, you see the offensive juggernaut they can be. Oh, we also saw when the Cavs bother to look inside, to Allen and to Evan Mobley, it opens up the rest of the offense.
Koreen on Cavs: Cleveland is going to get up more 3s per game than Detroit. On some nights, it won’t be close. Cleveland typically took 10 or so more 3s per game than the Raptors, a distinct math advantage. The Cavs didn’t always take advantage against Toronto, but it’s important.
Cleveland gets very hard to guard when they go away from the Mobley-Jarrett Allen front line. Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson and Sam Merrill will all get up their attempts. Dean Wade is accurate when he shoots, although he’s hesitant. Keon Ellis will fire away if he figures prominently into the series. The Pistons are physical and might score more in the paint; Cleveland’s advantage should come from the outside.
Robbins on Pistons: I don’t know if “learn” is the right word, because we knew this already, but Cunningham is one of the league’s true superstars, someone who can carry a team against a stellar defense. And Detroit’s defense is elite when it ramps up its pressure at the point of attack. Ausar Thompson is one of the league’s best defenders, which, again, we already knew.
But … the Pistons’ thin 3-point shooting will catch up to them eventually. The Magic did not have the offensive firepower to finish the job against the Pistons, but at least a few other teams still alive in these playoffs almost certainly will.
Patterson on Pistons: Their resolve is unshakeable. This group had three opportunities to fold with its backs against the wall and refused to do so. J.B. Bickerstaff has spoken all season about wanting the Pistons to peak at the right time, and it seems they’re in the process of doing so.
Detroit’s defense travels. Cunningham is capable of catapulting to a level not many other players in the league. And the Pistons’ overall offensive production has ramped up. I see them matching up well with the Cavaliers based on their ability to suffocate teams defensively. It’ll come down to whether they can consistently hit shots outside of Cunningham. It helps tremendously that Tobias Harris is also playing his best basketball of the season.
What are you watching the most closely about the Cavs and Pistons as they move forward?
Vardon on Cavs: Well, obviously a rendezvous between Cleveland and former coach JB Bickerstaff is worth watching. But also the Pistons are massive and play with an attitude – two things that bother the Cavs. So, I’ll be watching to see how Cleveland handles the physicality of a high-pressure series against a team that is deeper, better,and probably rougher than the first-round opponent.
Koreen on Cavs: How much will Allen and Mobley play together? On one hand, the Pistons are generally trying to get inside to score, so having as much paint protection as possible is important. On the other, Mobley’s shot hasn’t been reliable. The Pistons have enough size and physicality that they shouldn’t be overpowered on pick-and-roll actions with Harden and a big.
As someone who doesn’t cover the Cavaliers daily, I did not come away impressed with Cleveland’s offensive flow, especially when the two bigs share the floor. On paper, the Cavaliers can get away with the lineup against the Pistons. I’m curious if they will continue to inch away from the tandem, anyway.
Robbins on Pistons: What’s going on with Jalen Duren? In the Pistons’ first-round defeats, he was almost a non-factor on offense. Wendell Carter Jr. outplayed Duren for much of the series, but Duren was excellent in Game 7. As these playoffs continue, the Pistons will need more from Duren and from his backup, Isaiah Stewart.
Patterson on Pistons: I have to agree with Josh: which version of Duren will show up in this series? Even if he’s not scoring at the clip he was during the regular season, his defense has to be more reliable, and he’s got to attack the offensive and defensive glass the way he did in Game 7. Cunningham and Thompson are constants in what they do well. Even Duncan Robinson, who wasn’t at his best during the first round, managed to shoot 36.5 percent from long range on 7.4 attempts per game.
If Duren can rediscover his regular-season level of play, he has the talent to shift the complexion of the second round in Detroit’s favor.
How do you feel about the Cavs’ or Pistons’ long-term playoff chances after this series? Why or why not should they be in the title conversation?
Vardon on Cavs: I feel exactly the same about the Cavs as I do the Pistons or anyone else in the East. No one was impressive in the first round. It’s wide open. You listen to the names on the Cleveland side during pregame introductions and think, gee, there is no team with more talent. And then, you watch them miss shots, throw the ball away, get pushed around, and you think…this is not going to be a long run. But talent wins in the playoffs most of the time, and the names on the backs of their jerseys suggest they have a ton of it.
Koreen on Cavs: It’s the Eastern Conference. No team looked unimpeachable. In that sense, the Cavaliers are talented enough to get to the NBA Finals. You cannot rule it out.
Cleveland didn’t look in sync often against the Raptors, though. That had moments of cohesion, but they were fleeting. I’m not sure what their identity is aside from having a bunch of excellent individual players, and I’m skeptical that will be enough if and when they face a team with as much or more talent than they have.
Robbins on Pistons: Their defense is legit, and so is Cunningham, but they need a more reliable second scorer to supplement Cunningham. Tobias Harris was good at times, and excellent in Game 7 against the Magic, but he almost wasn’t as consistent as the Pistons needed him to be. That’s a concern. If Duren had been at his best, then this would have been more of a quibble.
Patterson on Pistons: If the Pistons can advance past the second round, I think the only thing standing in their way of getting to the finals is a healthy Joel Embiid. Detroit has had New York’s number this season and no one on the Knicks’ roster can guard Cunningham.
As Josh notes, the Pistons do indeed need a more balanced scoring attack, but I think Duren will be better offensively than he was in the first round. Couple that with the production of Cunningham and Harris, and I see Detroit being a real threat to come out of the conference.
Prediction for Pistons-Cavs and why?
Vardon on Cavs: I can’t remember the last time I picked against the Cavs. Probably the second round against Boston, because you just could kind of read the writing on the wall. I am not sure I can make out the chicken scratch scribbled on the bathroom stall just yet, but I insist the Cavs prove themselves in a physical series before I can pick them again. This first round was much, much more difficult for Cleveland than it should have been. Pistons in 7.
Koreen on Cavs: Maybe it’s recency bias. But I went into the Raptors series thinking the Cavaliers had as good of a chance as any team outside of the Celtics of winning the Eastern Conference. Then, it was a complimentary statement. After watching them against Toronto, it’s derogatory (and forget about the Boston part of things). Detroit is physical, with an unyielding defense. At this point, I trust that more than anything the Cavaliers can offer. Ultimately, I think the Pistons will have enough defensive answers to pull out a tight series. Pistons in 7.
Robbins on Pistons: I’m giving the Cavaliers a slight edge, because I think the Cavs’ offense has enough playmakers to overcome the Pistons’ physicality and Cunningham. Cavaliers in 7.
Patterson on Pistons: The Pistons have the defensive chops to neutralize the Cavaliers, and they’re battle-tested after the first round. I expect Cunningham to continue playing at the level he’s been at. I also expect Robinson to come alive from 3 and Duren to look more like the regular-season version of himself. Detroit’s best season in nearly 20 years will continue on past the second round. Pistons in 7.
