Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell downplays stats after pivotal Game 5 win

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell did not have his best game on Wednesday, but he was more than happy that they defeated the Toronto Raptors, 125-120, in Game 5 at Rocket Arena to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round series.

Mitchell scored 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting. He was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. He also had five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block.

The 29-year-old guard has struggled with his accuracy in the last three outings, averaging just 36.6% from the field. He went 6-of-24 in their loss in Game 4.

Mitchell, however, downplayed his shooting woes, stressing that he is not focused on his individual numbers.

“I’ve done this at a high level in the playoffs. I’ve scored a lot of points. To me, I could score zero, and if we win the game, we win the game. We advance. I don’t give a damn,” said Mitchell.

“I’m getting solid looks, I’m gonna take those shots. My biggest thing is, can I rebound? Can I make the right play? Can I be in the gaps? That’s what matters to me.”

While the seven-time All-Star acknowledged that he could have done better in Game 5, he maintained that his performance was not so terrible. He helped keep the Cavaliers afloat for the majority of the game.

“What matters most is winning the game. I’ll take a night like this for myself. It was solid. As long as we’re winning games, who cares? This is about the group. This is not just about the Donovan Big Game Show,” added Mitchell.

James Harden and Evan Mobley paced the Cavaliers with 23 points apiece.

Game 6 returns to Scotiabank Arena on Friday.