RJ Hamster
SI:AM | Game 7 Rout a Reminder of Pistons’…
DAN GARTLAND
Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I want to thank the Pistons for laying an egg and allowing me to get to bed early last night.
In today’s SI:AM:
🏀 Cavs move on
⛳ Surprise winner at the PGA
🏈 Rodgers back in Pittsburgh
Cavs cruise to Eastern Conference Finals
Rick Osentoski/Imagn Images
If the two greatest words in sports are “Game 7,” then the three worst might be “Game 7 blowout.”
The excellent Cavaliers-Pistons series ended with a dud on Sunday, as Cleveland demolished top-seeded Detroit in the decisive game, 125–94. The defense that had carried the Pistons to the best record in the East was uncharacteristically porous, and they simply lacked the offensive firepower to make up for it.
The Cavs shot 55.7% from the floor through the first three quarters, at which point they led 99–73. Donovan Mitchell did most of the damage, scoring all of his 26 points before the end of the third quarter, but big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley also scored 23 and 21, respectively. Sam Merrill erupted for 23 off the bench after averaging 6.8 points per game this postseason before Sunday night.
Detroit, meanwhile, couldn’t get anything going on offense. It shot 35.3% from the floor for the game. Cade Cunningham was particularly disappointing, finishing with just 13 points on 5-for-16 shooting. He missed all seven of his three-point attempts.
The Pistons need to improve their offense if they want to become serious contenders in the East. The defense is fantastic, but in do-or-die situations like a Game 7, you need to have more options on offense. Cunningham is the only player capable of consistently creating his own opportunities. Center Jalen Duren took a big step forward offensively in the regular season and averaged nearly 20 points per game, but he was held to 10.2 points per game in the playoffs. The Pistons relied too heavily on inconsistent veterans Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson, as well as trigger-happy second-year player Daniss Jenkins. If the Pistons want to take the next step, they must get another scoring threatwho can pick up the slack when needed to pair with Cunningham.
Major upset at the PGA Championship
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
This weekend’s PGA Championship was the most intriguing golf tournament I’ve seen in a long time. The leaderboard was exceptionally crowded, with nine players within three shots of Alex Smalley’s lead after the third round. It was also very unpredictable. The rough was so thick and unforgiving that one small mistake could quickly blossom into a real nightmare. Smalley learned that the hard way, with a double bogey on the sixth after his drive found the rough. He never regained the lead.
In the end, it was Aaron Rai who successfully navigated Aronimink’s challenges and lifted the Wanamaker Trophy. He shot a five-under 65 in the final round to finish nine under for the tournament, three shots ahead of Smalley and Jon Rahm.
Now, you’re probably asking, who the hell is Aaron Rai? That’s a fair question. The win was just the second PGA Tour victory for the 31-year-old Englishman. (He won the Wyndham Championship in 2024.) He also has three wins on the European Tour, including the 2020 Scottish Open and a win in November in Abu Dhabi.
But Rai had never before been in contention at a major. Before Sunday, his best finish at a major was a tie for 19th (which he achieved three times: the 2021 Open Championship, ’24 U.S. Open and last year’s PGA). In 2023, he didn’t even qualify for any of the four majors.
People might not have heard of Rai before Sunday, but he produced an unforgettable highlight to punctuate his brilliant final round with a 68-foot birdie putt on No. 17 that essentially locked up his victory. That capped an excellent stretch that included an eagle on No. 9 and birdies at the 11th, 13th and 16th holes.
“Everyone playing in the field this week has a great journey to be able to share, and I’m no exception to that,” Rai told reporters after his win. “So much goes into it from being a junior golfer to developing the game to have aspirations of turning professional. Then you realize once you turn professional how good some of these guys are and how strong the level of professional golf is, not just on the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, and all the feeders that go into it.
“So, yeah, it’s a really long journey to even get to compete at major championships at events like the PGA. To be standing here, amazing journey, it still hasn’t sunk in for sure. Amazing journey.”
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
The best of Sports Illustrated
- Bob Harig has more on Aaron Rai’s unconventional path to his first major championship win.
- If you want a more straightforward recap of Rai’s final round, check out Max Schreiber’s story.
- While Rai was the big winner, Michael Rosenberg argues that strong showings from Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm proved that they’re ready to challenge Scottie Scheffler.
- Our crew of golf experts is in agreement that Aronimink deserves to host another major as soon as possible.
- The Phillies have been on a hot streak since firing manager Rob Thomson. Tim Capurso wonders if their turnaround is for real.
- Albert Breer believes Aaron Rodgers returned to the Steelers because they helped him rekindle his love of football.
Get the print edition of Sports Illustrateddelivered to your door.
David Banks/Imagn Images
👀 The top five …
… things I saw yesterday:
5. Blue Jays prospect Jay Harry’s impressive catch at a dead sprint and equally impressive ability to hold onto the ball after flipping over the bullpen wall.
4. A tough catch by Pete Crow-Armstrong in center. He always makes plays like that look so easy.
3. A pair of strong slams by Jarrett Allen.
2. Raphinha’s nasty free kick goal for Barcelona.
1. Caitlin Clark’s leaning three-pointer in the final seconds to force overtime against the Mystics. Indiana went on to win in overtime. (Clark also set a new WNBA record for most career games with 20-plus points and 10-plus assists. She has 12 such games. She’s only played 57 games.)
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