Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell took accountability for his performance and continued to have faith in his teammates following a 102-93 loss to the New York Knicks.
“I believe in myself, I believe in this group,” Donovan Mitchell said when asked if he still believes, and if so, why, via Bally Sports Ohio. “We believe in each other. If you give up 3-1, you’re not built for these moments.
“At the end of the day, like I said, I had probably the second or third-worst playoff game of my career. I didn’t show up for my guys. Ultimately, everybody did their job. We had our faults as a group, but ultimately I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. I take that. I’ve got to just be better.”
Donovan Mitchell scored a total of 11 points and hit five of his 18 shots in just under 42 minutes of play in Madison Square Garden. Cleveland clawed its way back from a 54-45 deficit by the end of the first half, but couldn’t hold a steady lead long enough to pull away with the crucial victory. He scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 99-79 Cavs loss to New York on Friday.
Donovan Mitchell scored 11 points and hit five of his 19 shot attempts during a 118-98 loss to the James Harden and Chris Paul-led Houston Rockets in 2019, according to Basketball Reference. Forward Royce O’Neale and now-Cavs guard Ricky Rubio would lead the team in scoring with 17 points apiece, while Harden and Paul would lead the Rockets with 32 and 17 points, respectively. Mitchell would score 10 points in a 2018 loss to Houston and nine in a 2022 playoff matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Cavs will tip off against the Knicks at 7 p.m. EDT on Wednesday in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcasted on NBA TV and Bally Sports Ohio.
