Donovan Mitchell Sends Strong Message Ahead of ECF Matchup vs Knicks

The Cleveland Cavaliers handled their business Sunday night in Game 7 against the Detroit Pistons, winning 125-94 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks.

Cleveland was led by Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 26 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. The win marks the first time in his nine-year career that Mitchell will play in the conference finals, doing so in his home state of New York, where he was born and raised.

After the win, Mitchell delivered a strong message as he turned his focus to Game 1 on Tuesday night.

"They got a lot of talent. I think they're peaking at the right time. I think a lot of guys are playing well over there. Obviously you have Jalen Brunson, the head of the snake, Karl-Anthony Towns, but Mikal and OG are equally as dangerous … we know them very well," Mitchell said.

"It's gonna be a dog fight. Like another Game 7. It's gonna be a dog fight on the boards, on defense, communication, and we got a lot of respect for them, but at the end of the day we gotta go out there and compete and do what we do and not be satisfied.

"We got here, but we didn't just get here to be here. I'm not gonna be in New York just happy that we got here."

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The Cavaliers went 1–2 against the Knicks in head-to-head matchups during the regular season, though Mitchell played well across those games.

Mitchell averaged 29.3 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game in the season series and will need to match or exceed that production if Cleveland hopes to advance.

More news: Pistons' Cade Cunningham Sends Blunt Message After Game 7 Loss

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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 12:36 PM.