Last Aussie standing: Tyrese Proctor, Cavs into ECF

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Rookie guard Tyrese Proctor is the last remaining Australian player in the NBA Playoffs after the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Detroit Pistons in game seven of the second round to book an Eastern Conference Finals match-up with the New York Knicks.

The playoffs started with Proctor, Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), Jock Landale (Atlanta Hawks), Joe Ingles (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Matisse Thybulle (Portland Trail Blazers) all in contention for the Larry O'Brien Trophy - now all except the former Sutherland Sharks junior and Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence Scholarship holder have been eliminated.

Cleveland needed to bounce back in a big way in the do-or-die game seven on the road against the Pistons following a 115-94 defeat in game six, and they did exactly that, tearing apart the usually suffocating defence of Detroit to run out comfortable victors and book their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since LeBron James led the Cavaliers in 2018.

Proctor, who recently appeared on basketball.com.au podcast Cut to the Jase, has only seen very limited minutes at the end of games in the playoffs - playing less than a minute in Cleveland's game four win over the Pistons and three minutes during the entire first round series against the Toronto Raptors.

But the young Australian Boomers star and Cleveland will run into a red-hot Knicks side, who dominated the Philadelphia 76ers in their second-round series, sweeping Joel Embiid's side which was capped-off by a 144-114 game four win.

While Proctor is the only Aussie player remaining in the playoffs, former Boomers skipper Matthew Nielsen still remains in the hunt for an NBA title as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs, who will start their Western Conference Finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at 10.30am (AET).

The Knicks will host Cleveland in game one on Wednesday.

MATCH REPORT

Cleveland Cavaliers booked their spot in the next round with a commanding 125-94 win against the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, sealing the series 4-3. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Evan Mobley delivered a stellar all-round line in support.

Game Snapshot

• Quarter scores: Cleveland 31-22, 33-25, 35-26, 26-21
• Final score: Cleveland 125, Detroit 94
• Series result: Cleveland wins 4-3

Mitchell sets the tone early

Mitchell carried the offensive load from the opening tip, finishing 10-from-22 from the field with two triples and a perfect blend of scoring and playmaking. His eight dimes helped Cleveland generate 31 assists as a team, reflecting the ball movement that powered a 51% shooting night.

The Cavaliers piled on 31 points in the opening quarter to immediately seize control, and Detroit never managed to close the gap to single digits.

Mobley dominates the glass

Mobley was masterful in the paint, posting 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists on 7-from-10 shooting. His efficiency was on full display, and he added two blocks and two steals to anchor Cleveland's defensive effort.

Jarrett Allen complemented him brilliantly in the frontcourt with 23 points and seven boards on 8-from-14 from the field, repeatedly punishing Detroit's interior defence. The Cavaliers outrebounded the Pistons 50-41 and held a 36-31 edge on the defensive glass.

Merrill catches fire off the bench

The decisive blow came from Sam Merrill, who detonated for 23 points from downtown range, going 7-from-10 overall and an outstanding 5-from-8 from deep. His shooting display blew the game open and gave Cleveland's bench a +22 spark in his 25 minutes.

Dean Wade also chipped in with five points, six rebounds and a +17 in just over 21 minutes, while the Cavaliers' reserves combined to overwhelm Detroit's second unit.

Pistons misfire from outside

Detroit's hopes hinged on Cade Cunningham, but the star guard endured a disappointing night, shooting 5-from-16 from the field and a dismal 0-from-7 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points and five assists. Without his perimeter threat, the Pistons' offence stalled, finishing at a poor 35% from the field and 31% from three.

Daniss Jenkins led Detroit with 17 points on 4-from-12 shooting, while Duncan Robinson added 13 off the bench. Jalen Duren grabbed nine rebounds but managed just seven points, and Tobias Harris was held to five points on 0-from-6 from the field.

Third-quarter dagger seals it

Cleveland's 35-point third quarter effectively ended the contest, stretching the lead beyond 30 and prompting heavy rotations down the stretch. The Cavaliers shot 64% from the charity stripe (28-from-44) and capitalised on second-chance opportunities with 14 offensive boards.

Detroit's free-throw efficiency at 76% offered little reprieve given the volume disparity, and Cleveland cruised through the final term to close out the series in emphatic fashion.

By the Numbers

• Donovan Mitchell (CLE): 26 pts │ 7 reb │ 8 ast │ 1 stl │ 10-22 FG
• Evan Mobley (CLE): 21 pts │ 12 reb │ 6 ast │ 2 stl │ 2 blk │ 7-10 FG
• Jarrett Allen (CLE): 23 pts │ 7 reb │ 1 blk │ 8-14 FG
• Sam Merrill (CLE): 23 pts │ 2 ast │ 7-10 FG │ 5-8 3PT
• Daniss Jenkins (DET): 17 pts │ 5 ast │ 4-12 FG
• Cade Cunningham (DET): 13 pts │ 5 ast │ 4 reb │ 5-16 FG
• Duncan Robinson (DET): 13 pts │ 3-5 3PT
• Jalen Duren (DET): 7 pts │ 9 reb │ 3 ast