After a historic 16-game win streak, All-Star Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavs lost their fourth consecutive game in a 123-112 loss to the Phoenix Suns. After Mitchell revealed two goals as 70-wins fades for the Cavs, he took the blame for Friday’s 11-point loss to the Suns. As the self-appointed leader, Donovan believes it’s up to him to turn things around for Cleveland.
Mitchell says he has to steer the Cavs in the right direction, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.
“Put this on me,” Mitchell said. “When your leader ain’t doing [expletive], this is what happens. If I’m not being who I need to be then we’re not going to get to where we want to get to. So, until that happens — and it will — yeah, if you’re looking for where to point, it’s right here.”
Despite the four-game skid, the Cavs remain atop the Eastern Conference standings. Perhaps looking at the bigger picture, Mitchell magnified what’s most important, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.
“You want to be healthy and playing the right way. If that comes with it then, yeah, (clinching the No. 1 overall seed matters). We’re competitors, and we want to be the best of the best. But at the end of the day, we want to be healthy, playing the right way and taking these tests, and if we don’t (finish ahead of Oklahoma City), then we don’t,” Mitchell said.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (58-12) surpassed the Cavs for the league’s best record.
Kenny Atkinson sends a warning after Cavs’ loss
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
After leading the Cavs to a historic 16-game win streak, head coach Kenny Atkinson sent a playoff warning to his team after Tuesday’s 132-119 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Atkinson revealed the Cavs put forth a poor defensive effort that would never translate into wins during the postseason.
After the loss, Atkinson discussed his team’s performance, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.
“They played great — elite shot-making performance by them. Poor defense by us,” Atkinson said. “Our lack of discipline fouling them, putting them on the line, and giving them second-chance points. They did have an elite shot-making game, but we weren’t disciplined and didn’t do the things on the margins.”
“That kind of performance can’t survive in a playoff atmosphere, a playoff situation.”
Cavs All-Star Donovan Mitchell, Atkinson, and the Cavs will look to snap their four-game losing streak and earn their 57th win of the regular season on Sunday against the Jazz on the road.
