Cleveland Reach Eastern Conference Finals

The Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018 after delivering a dominant performance to seal a dominant 125-94 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the decisive Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs.

Cleveland secured qualification thanks to an impressive collective display led by star guard Donovan Mitchell, who scored 26 points, while Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Sam Merrill also made major contributions after each surpassing the 20-point mark.

The Cavaliers will now face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals as they attempt to relive the success of 2018, when they reached the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive season under the leadership of LeBron James before eventually losing to the Golden State Warriors.

The Pistons had hoped to take advantage of home court and crowd support after avoiding elimination in Game 6, but they appeared unable to cope with Cleveland’s clear physical and offensive superiority. The Cavaliers continued their impressive playoff run despite finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, while the disappointment was significant for Detroit, who had topped the conference standings in the regular season with 60 wins and 22 defeats.

Gilgeous-Alexander Wins MVP Award

Elsewhere, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the regular season, the league officially announced.

Gilgeous-Alexander earned the MVP award for the second consecutive season after producing another outstanding campaign that guided the Thunder to the top of the Western Conference with a 64-18 record, while averaging 31.1 points and 6.6 assists per game.

The Canadian star finished ahead of Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić and San Antonio Spurs sensation Victor Wembanyama in the voting.

Gilgeous-Alexander received 83 first-place votes from nearly 100 journalists and analysts who participated in the selection process, becoming just the 14th player in NBA history to win the award in back-to-back seasons.

He also represents the latest chapter in the dominance of international players over the award, with James Harden remaining the last American player to win MVP back in 2018.

The Canadian guard has now joined an elite list featuring legendary names such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, as well as Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also claimed the award in consecutive seasons.

The Thunder are now preparing for the Western Conference Finals against San Antonio and their star Victor Wembanyama. Gilgeous-Alexander stressed that Oklahoma City are not underestimating the Spurs, noting that reaching the Western Conference Finals requires a strong team and a highly competitive mentality, while insisting that the key to success for the Thunder lies in remaining committed to their usual style of play.

As Cleveland return to the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Playoffs reach their most decisive stage, basketball fans in Jordan can follow every matchup with Betway — one of the best online betting sites for competitive NBA odds, live betting, and a smooth sports betting experience.