The Cleveland Cavaliers have yet to strike a big blow on the Detroit Pistons early in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but Donovan Mitchell is certainly leaving a mark on the opposition. Tobias Harris, who was undoubtedly a big reason for the Cavsā Game 1 loss, continues to find himself on the receiving end of some Spida magic.
Mitchell unleashed his windmill gather move on the veteran forward in the series opener, but in Thursdayās Game 2, he truly punished the man. The two-time All-NBA selection and seven-time All-Star put Harris on skates five minutes into the first quarter, using his nifty ball-handling skills to blow past the 33-year-old and score two points.
Harris wound up on the floor, grabbing his hip in visible discomfort. Fortunately, he stayed in the game. The No. 19 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft will remember this sequence for a while.
Mitchell has made plenty of highlights through six quarters of play in the Motor City, but his team is in danger of falling into an 0-2 series hole. Despite being humbled on a couple of instances, Harris is proving to be a definite difference-maker thus far.
He posted 20 points, eight rebounds and two steals in Detroitās 111-101 Game 1 win and scored a team-high nine points in the first half of Game 2. Harris also added two steals, doing his best to impact the action on both ends of the court. If the Cavs do not quiet No. 12, Donovan Mitchellās viral plays will be just a footnote.
Perhaps it will take another crossover to truly rattle Harris and change the momentum of this contest.