Cavs All-Star Donovan Mitchell shared his honest feelings over losing to the Indiana Pacers, 4-1, in the second round of the playoffs. For Mitchell, a deep playoff run was imminent after a historic regular season. However, injuries to All-Stars Darius Garland and Evan Mobley hindered a promising campaign. Then, Mitchell suffered a left ankle sprain during Game 4 against the Pacers.
Mitchell shared his mindset heading into Game 5, per Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks X.
“You do everything for the season. I’m not in my brain, there’s no way I’m letting this hinder or affect me from not stepping out on the floor,” Mitchell said. “I take what comes with it. I’m very thankful that nothing came out of that. But that’s kind of my process, like you’re going to have to drag me off the floor. Does it change a little bit after seeing these things happen?
“Maybe, possibly, I think it’s hard for me to say that because I may be in a moment, I may be fighting the doctors and team doctors to get out there, but I think right now, seeing that it’s tough,” Mitchell concluded.
After watching Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton play through a calf injury in Game 6 before suffering an Achilles’ injury, Mitchell pointed to that as an example of a player’s determination to play through the pain. Like he did, trying to keep the Cavs’ season alive in Game 5.
“Tyrese made it to Game 7 of the Finals,” Mitchell said. “I think you ask any guy in the league, Jamal [Murray] played last year through a calf strain, there’s guys that have done it. I don’t think he regrets doing that.”
Mitchell finished with 35 points, nine rebounds, and four steals in Game 5’s 114-105 loss to the Pacers.
Donovan Mitchell couldn’t shake off Cavs’ playoff exit
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cavs won’t be making drastic changes to their All-Star trio — Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley. However, the disappointing finish still stings. Mitchell reflected on how he dealt with that pain.
“When it ended so abruptly, like even in the summer, I didn’t have any plans, I didn’t know what to do,” Mitchell said. “That’s why I think I found myself, even though I was moving around and different things, I found myself just sitting there, just trying to process that we don’t play tomorrow. I was in Cleveland for about a week after. Usually, after the season, I fly out to go back home. I just couldn’t leave because it was just like there’s no way.”
Mitchell and the Cavs will look to bounce back in 2025-26.
