Donovan Mitchell and Ausar Thompson will battle for the last word in their individual rivalry when the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Detroit Pistons for a win-or-go-on-vacation Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday night.

Each team has prevailed once on the opponent’s court since the clubs each won twice at home to begin the best-of-seven.

Mitchell and the Cavaliers’ 117-113 overtime triumph Wednesday at Detroit gave them a 3-2 lead and put the fourth-seeded club one win away from meeting the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.

But the top-seeded Pistons turned the tables Friday in Cleveland, rolling to a 115-94 victory that has returned the presumed home-court advantage to Detroit.

“It’s going to be a madhouse in there,” Pistons star Cade Cunningham predicted on the eve of the showdown. “The crowd is going to come to play as well. They want to insert themselves in the game.”

The Pistons went 32-9 at home in the regular season, the third-best record in the NBA, before going 3-1 at Little Caesars Arena against the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs. That included a 116-94 home win in Game 7 to advance.

Cleveland also needed seven games to reach this series. The Cavaliers haven’t lost a Game 7 since LeBron James was 23 years old in 2008 against the Boston Celtics. Before beating the Magic, the Pistons hadn’t been in a seven-game series since, coincidentally, eliminating Cleveland in 2006.

Mitchell, the NBA’s seventh-leading scorer at 27.9 points per game during the regular season, has been held to 23 or fewer in three of the six games of the semifinal series. In Cleveland’s Game 5 win, he scored 21 points, shooting 7-for-18 overall and 1-for-8 on 3-pointers. When the Cavaliers were limited to 94 points in Game 6, he was held to 18 points while being harassed into 6-for-20 shooting overall and 2-for-6 from deep.

Thompson, a finalist for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, has gotten much of the credit for Mitchell’s troubles. The Cavaliers recognize the defensive strategy and believe they are prepared to counter it when it matters most.

“Getting him in the open court more where they can’t get their hands on him,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson responded when asked for a potential solution to Thompson’s aggressive defense. “When it’s in the halfcourt, it’s clutch, grab, hold. We got to get him in space, in the open court — kick-aheads, kick-acrosses, all that.”

Another key matchup in the series has been between starting centers Jarrett Allen and Jalen Duren.

Allen has won the statistical battle three times, totaling 43 points and 19 rebounds to Duren’s 28 points and 11 rebounds in those matchups, and the Cavaliers have won all three of those games. But when Duren has outplayed his rival — outrebounding him 33-18 — the Pistons have gone 3-0.

The team that has won the rebounding battle has taken four of the six games. With Duren contributing his second double-double of the series, the Pistons owned a 43-40 edge on the boards in Game 6.

–Field Level Media

FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom described his Saturday meeting with the head of Iran’s Football Federation (FFIRI) as “constructive” as concerns about the nation’s participation in next month’s World Cup have not abated.

Grafstrom met with FFIRI President Mehdi Taj in Istanbul and told Reuters he was confident about Iran competing in the United States, despite hostilities between the two countries extending into their third month.

“We’ve had an excellent meeting and constructive meeting together with the Iran FA,” Grafstrom said during a visit to Istanbul. “We’re working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them in the FIFA World Cup.”

Iran is slated to play all three of their group matches in the United States, beginning with a contest vs. New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. They are also scheduled to take on Belgium in Los Angeles and conclude Group G play against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Iran asked that their games be moved to Mexico, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino denied that request.

Taj has served as president of Iran’s governing body since 2022, but he had previously served in Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The 66-year-old was not allowed to enter the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada earlier this month due to his IRGC ties.

Canada and the United States, who are co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico, have classified the IRGC as a “terrorist entity” and have stated that they will not permit people with ties to that group in their respective nations.

Grafstrom would not specifically address entry and visa arrangements for Iranian players. The discussion with Taj primarily involved operational issues.

“We’ve discussed all relevant matters, but I think it’s not the place to discuss the details,” he said. “Overall, a very positive meeting and we’re looking forward to continuing the dialogue.”

Taj also shared with Reuters that the meeting with Grafstrom and other FIFA officials was positive.

“I am pleased that they listened to Iran’s points, all 10 points that we had raised, and they offered solutions for each of them. I hope, God willing, that our national team can go to the World Cup without any problems and achieve very good results there,” he said.

The Iranian squad is scheduled to leave Tehran for a training camp in Turkey on Monday. Their base in the United States is located at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, and they are slated to travel there in early June.

–Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Angels selected the contract of outfielder Jose Siri on Saturday prior to the team’s home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In corresponding transactions, outfielder Bryce Teodosio was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake and right-handed reliever Ben Joyce was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Siri, a five-year MLB veteran known for his speed and defensive ability, has not appeared in a big-league game this year. In 2023, he enjoyed a career season with the Tampa Bay Rays, blasting 25 home runs and stealing 12 bases in 101 games.

Last season, Siri’s offensive production cratered with the New York Mets as he missed five months with a broken tibia. In 16 games, he went 2 of 36 with no home runs and one RBI.

The 30-year-old has been producing this season for Salt Lake in the hitter-friendly PCL. He owns five home runs, 27 RBIs, four stolen bases and a .288 batting average in 140 plate appearances.

Teodosio shares a similar skillset. The speedy defensive specialist was batting .213 with no home runs and four stolen bases in 34 games for the Angels this season. The 26-year-old will be given more time to develop in the minors.

Joyce has not pitched in a major league game since April 8, 2025, as he needed labrum surgery last May. Accordingly, the 60-day IL move is not surprising as he continues to work through a rehab assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

–Field Level Media