The Cleveland Cavaliersemerged from the rock fight against the Toronto Raptors. It was far from the prettiest series on the first-round slate. The number of times I thought this team was dead in the water was more than two hands can count.

After RJ Barrett’s moonshot homage to Kawhi Leonard, it seemed like this Cavaliers team was bound to also pay homage to previous iterations of the franchise’s past and fold in Game 7. However, just when it looked like the Cavaliers were going to succumb to the pressure, they came out in the second half led by Jarrett Allen and others to show that this Cavs team will not be lumped together with those shortcomings of years prior.

Allen and the Cavaliers’ recent playoff outings share a common thread. One that can be summarized by shortcomings. Allen has been the poster child for the Cavaliers being called a soft team. Ever since the Cavaliers were bounced by the New York Knicks in 2023, the label of weak-minded has followed this team through the years. The following year, it was the Celtics, last year it was the Pacers, and for all intents and purposes, it looked like it was going to be the Raptors this time.

Then, coming out of the half tied at 49 apiece, Allen emerged like a man possessed. He single-handedly authored a double-double, 14 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter alone, that sparked a 38-19 run.

This, alongside others like Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill, and Dennis Schroder, the Cavaliers came out with an edge. Those guys just understood the mentality shift the team needed after the first half of the Cavaliers succumbing to the moment. The team was too talented to be meandering at the level of the Raptors. Those guys understood this and really energized the group.

As the Cavaliers look ahead to a series against the Detroit Pistons starting Tuesday night, they should use their second half as a sign of turning the page. Riding the high would be the wrong take to walk out of Game 7 with. That edge we saw from Cleveland is something they really haven’t shown in the postseason — that counter punch was never in their arsenal.

The beauty of a series is that each one provides things to learn, but also things you can leave behind in the context of that series. Look no further than the 2025 playoffs; the Cavaliers, fresh off one of the more dominant round one series in recent memory, looked like a shell of that team, losing in the second round in short order. There is a chance to be reborn, so while the Cavaliers should carry over the mentality they showed in the second half of Game 7, they should leave behind the version of themselves that saw them fall to the Raptors in several games due to mental lapses.

If Allen’s narrative-changing outing can provide a template and inspiration for the Cavaliers, then this team has the chance to live up to its potential and talent level. The Eastern Conference is far from touting clear title contenders as it currently stands. In this parity era, anything is possible if a team gets hot. The Cavaliers certainly have a runway to the NBA Finals if they can meet the level of play we saw in the second half of Game 7.

There is always time in life to reinvent yourself, changes can always be made, and series in the playoffs are more of a snapshot than being emblematic of who a team will be. To match the physicality of Detroit, the Cavaliers will need to turn the page from the Toronto series, while keeping that edge that showed them what they are capable of.