The Detroit Pistons beat the odds once again to force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday night.
The 1-seed Pistons creamed the 4-seed Cleveland Cavaliers, 115-94, on Friday night at Rocket Arena in Cleveland in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
The Pistons will host a Game 7 at Little Caesars Arena for a second consecutive round. They rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to knock out the Orlando Magic two weeks ago. The Cavs also won a Game 7 in the first round, wiping out the Toronto Raptors at home.
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We asked our experts for their Cavaliers vs. Pistons Game 7 prediction in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Who advances to play the New York Knicks on Tuesday night to start the Eastern Conference finals?
Omari Sankofa II
The Pistons smell blood. After putting together their best playoff performance in Cleveland, they should take care of home court and make the ECF for the first time since 2008. The pick: Pistons 111, Cavs 102.
Shawn Windsor
They’ve gone and done it again, winning on the road in Game 6 in an elimination game. They are hard to end, these young Pistons, and they aren’t afraid to tell the world they aren’t gonna go out easily. After a brutal collapse in Game 5, they answered with their best performance of the postseason. Now they’ve got to consolidate it. They will, in another taut affair. The pick: Pistons 104, Cavs 101.
Mitch Albom
Don’t talk pressure. Pressure is equal. Don’t talk experience. Neither team is well-heeled at making the conference finals. Don’t talk home court. It has been proven that doesn’t matter. Defense will win this one, because in choking-tight moments, defense opens offense. The Pistons are better defensively. I’ll give them the slight edge. The pick: Pistons 103, Cavs 98.
Christian Romo
It’s hard to believe for a 4-seed pushing a 1-seed to Game 7, but the pressure is all on James Harden and the Cavs now with the Pistons holding homecourt advantage and momentum from a big win in Game 6. And after just watching these young Pistons already mount an unlikely comeback in a playoff series, let’s go ahead and make it 2-for-2 in Games 7. Bring on the Knicks. The pick: Pistons 101, Cavs 95.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 7 expert picks: Who advances to play Knicks?
Reporting by Omari Sankofa II, Shawn Windsor, Christian Romo and Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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