“I promise you we will do everything,” Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wrote after losing to the Indiana Pacers last week. The owner, since 2005, has a habit of going to extremes. On the eve of Game 7 in Detroit after failing to close the series at home, Gilbert pulled out a trick from the Knicks’ hats. He decided to take over the Pistons’ Little Caesars Arena.

It was the same trick as Game 5, when the Cavaliers sent eight buses to season ticket holders to infiltrate the Pistons’ arena. However, everything is bigger in Game 7. It’s either win or recalibrate with a plethora of questions and hard decisions to be made. Gilbert didn’t want to leave it to chance and knew he had to go bigger.

According to Clutch Points, that came in the form of a literal Cavaliers fan army heading to the arena thanks to the franchise’s owner. Dan Gilbert arranged for 22 buses to transport Cavaliers fans to Detroit. And he took care of everything: Stay, clothing, and tickets. Gilbert didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. After all, he’s been waiting since 2018 to make it back to the conference finals.

The result didn’t disappoint.

The Cavaliers smashed the Pistons, delivering their worst loss of these playoffs in the most important game of the season. It didn’t look like Cleveland was playing a Game 7. They were there to take in the experience and play fearlessly. Donovan Mitchell spearheaded the team with a game-high 26 points and 8 assists. The Cavs had three other 20+ scorers, finishing the game shooting 50.6% from beyond the arc.

Detroit never got off its feet, trailing by eight or more in each of the first three quarters. The Cavaliers’ adjustment blew up their physical play style. The Pistons managed just 34 points in the paint. Cade Cuningham was held to just 13 points. The crowd couldn’t help. Gilbert’s massive entourage filled the aren with ‘Let’s go Cavs’ chants.

For Dan Gilbert, his risk paid off. The Cavaliers remain the only team operating over the second apron following their trade for James Harden. But Gilbert won’t hesitate to allow the current roster to keep growing.

James Harden is set for a long-term future with Cleveland

James Harden couldn’t flaunt his offensive talents in Game 7 tonight. What mattered most, though, was that the Beard was himself. The seasoned competitor found a way to impact the game in any proximity he could. The shooting struggles hid the order and poise he brought to the unit. At 36, Harden made it back to the conference finals for the first time since 2018.

The greater achievement was helping lead the current side to the same place. Donovan Mitchell had never been there, nor had a lot of the Cavaliers. But Harden did his business in Game 5 on the road. Pulling off those vital wins and having the ability to show up are why the Cavs appear to trust him for the future.

According to Brian Windhorst, the franchise is pleased with the entrance of James Harden. It’s all but certain for him to land a multi-year extension with the Cavaliers. The ESPN analyst also predicts the veteran will openly accept a figure below his $42.3 million player option for next season to prioritize long-term stability.

James Harden has played an integral role during the Cavaliers’ unstable postseason run. In 14 games, he’s averaging 20.1 points and a team-high 6.2 assists per game. Albeit the turnovers have been a concern, the Beard’s contributed through other means. In their first Game 7 against the Raptors, he added 3 steals with 18 points. Tonight, it was six assists with just a single turnover.

The Cavaliers aren’t banking on Harden to jump back into his Houston Rockets days. They just need a leader who can resonate with their fantastic young core and give them direction. At times, he takes over, but Harden’s really clicked with the group. The Cavs have snapped their second-round curse in their first season. Imagine what training camp will do for this team.