It's Game 7, and we have a bet locked in as the Cavaliers and legacies are on the line against the Pistons

The NBA takes a batch of flak for having meaningless games, and I tin decidedly understand it, watching connected a random Wednesday successful January. However, nan playoffs person delivered complete and complete to viewers and rewarded america for putting up pinch garbage regular-season games.

This will beryllium nan 4th Game 7 of nan playoffs. Three bid person been sweeps, and nan different 3 person been six games. That shows competitory hoops. Now, really do we stake this Game 7 successful nan Eastern Conference?

The Cleveland Cavaliers blew it. After not winning a roadworthy crippled each postseason, they took Game 5 successful astonishing fashion. It looked for illustration they were going to triumph successful six games. After all, they hadn't mislaid a crippled astatine location successful nan postseason.

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Instead, Detroit came retired and blitzed nan Cavs, ne'er giving them a chance to get their footing. They mislaid successful an disfigured manner and now person to fig retired a measurement to triumph a crippled connected nan road.

Cleveland Cavaliers defender James Harden drives to nan handbasket against nan Detroit Pistons during nan 2nd half of Game 5 successful nan second-round NBA playoffs successful Detroit connected May 13, 2026. (Duane Burleson/AP)

It isn't conscionable nan Cavs' destiny that rests successful this game. It is besides nan bequest of James Harden and, to a lesser extent, Donovan Mitchell.

We cognize that Mitchell is simply a very bully player, but he isn't regarded arsenic 1 of nan champion players ever. Harden is. Unfortunately, Harden has struggled successful Game 7s. He's averaged 19.1 points, 7.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds. That's not terrible, but looking astatine his shooting percentages, he is astatine 35.3% and 22.2% successful those games. He really is 4-4 wide successful nan games, but successful his past three, he has scored a mixed 34 points complete 113 minutes.

The Detroit Pistons look to for illustration playing pinch their backs against nan wall. They are a gritty team, truthful I suppose it makes sense.

Detroit Pistons' Jalen Duren reacts aft allowing a walk to spell retired of bounds successful nan 2nd half of Game 4 of nan second-round NBA playoff bid against nan Cleveland Cavaliers successful Cleveland connected May 11, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)

Cade Cunningham continues to present for nan team, and he yet sewage immoderate thief successful Game 6 from Jalen Duren. This was ne'er going to beryllium an easy bid for Duren, but it feels for illustration he is taking much clip to mature than others. He decidedly improved this year, but nan consistency they request from him conscionable isn't location yet.

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Now arsenic nan squad goes location they will request Duren to beryllium a beast connected nan glass. If he tin support nan Pistons successful nan rebounding battle, they should triumph this crippled pinch ease. They won Game 6 by conscionable 3 rebounds, but that takes distant a large magnitude of what Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley do for nan Cavs. It isn't everything, though, arsenic nan Pistons won nan rebounding conflict successful some losses successful Cleveland.

I don't spot this being a runaway crippled for nan Pistons. Mitchell and Cunningham apt will cancel each different retired pinch scoring. Harden needs to found himself arsenic nan third-best subordinate connected nan floor. I haven't seen him do that successful nan postseason, yet.

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden talk during Game 2 successful nan first information of nan 2026 NBA Playoffs vs. nan Toronto Raptors astatine Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse successful Ohio. (David Dermer/Imagn Images)

This is nan 2nd Game 7 of nan playoffs for some of nan clubs, truthful it isn't for illustration either will beryllium caught disconnected defender astir what this entails.

If I look astatine it objectively, I deliberation nan Cavs person nan amended players. However, nan Pistons person looked importantly amended this season, and decidedly successful nan playoffs overall. Both are prone to issues and slipping. The Cavs shouldn't beryllium arsenic they are a seasoned team.

This crippled has to beryllium won by Cleveland, though. There is excessively overmuch riding connected nan franchise and legacies of guys for them to not hole decently for it. Maybe that's anemic analysis, but I'm taking nan Cavs pinch nan points and I do deliberation they triumph outright. I expect a monster crippled from Mitchell, and Harden should get 10+ assists.

Either way, whoever wins will suffer to nan New York Knicks.

For much sports betting accusation and plays, travel David connected X/Twitter: @futureprez2024