Playoffs guide: Cavaliers have made it to Round 2

CLEVELAND (WJW) — The Cleveland Cavaliers have been here before. In the post-post LeBron James era, the team has returned to the NBA playoffs for the fourth year in a row. But the question for all Cavs fans is how far is the team going to go?

The only way to get to the finals is to win three series. Last month, the Cavs started that journey and, after seven mostly nail-biting games, have progressed to Round 2 of the playoffs.

After handily winning the first two games, all the other games against the Toronto Raptors showed the Cavs’ imperfections, leaving fans in Cleveland to want to bang their heads against the wall.

But now it’s a fresh slate and new series. It didn’t start off well. The Pistons beat the Cavaliers 111-101 on Tuesday night in Game 1.

Here’s what we can expect in coming days:

OPPONENT
As the No. 4 seed this year, the Cavs are now playing the Detroit Pistons after defeating the Raptors.

DATES/TIMES
Since it’s a seven-game series — and the Cavs do not have home court advantage — the following games are being played in Cleveland at Rocket Arena: 3, 4 and 6.

Here are the dates and times for the Round 2 games:

• Game 1: Tuesday, May 5 at 7 p.m. in Detroit
  • Cavs lose 111-101
• Game 2: Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. in Detroit
  • Game airs on Prime
• Game 3: Saturday, May 9 at 3 p.m. in Cleveland
  • Game airs on Peacock
• Game 4: Monday, May 11 at 8 p.m. in Cleveland
  • Game airs on NBC
• *Game 5 if needed: May 13 in Detroit
• *Game 6 if needed: May 15 in Cleveland
• *Game 7 if needed: May 17 in Detroit

TICKETS
Tickets are on sale to the public.

FAN PLANS
In years past, the city of Cleveland has hosted multiple free fan appreciation events surrounding the home playoff games. We will announce those as more is learned. Find out more about Cavs-sponsored away game watch parties right here.

WHAT’S NEXT
Hopefully, going onto Round 3 (and beyond). But if you ask any coach or player in any sport ever, the mindset is just one game at a time. The playoffs come to their conclusion in June.

LOOKING BACK
The 2025-2026 regular season was one defined by many injuries and a trade that ended up sending the beloved Darius Garland to Los Angeles and veteran James Harden to Cleveland. The team finished at a respectable fourth place in the Eastern Conference, making for a less exciting season than last year’s first place finish.

But history doesn’t remember how you finished in the regular season. People remember champions. And that is what head coach Kenny Atkinson and star player Donovan Mitchell have said is the goal — winning it all.

Last year, the Cavs’ dreams of playoff glory were dashed once again in the second round with a 5-game stint against the Indiana Pacers (who ultimately lost in the finals). The year prior, they fell to the Boston Celtics also in Round 2.

A chance at victory continues now.

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