“It’s 2-2. You give credit where credit is due. They handled their business at home. That’s it,” Mitchell said. “It’s upsetting we didn’t respond, but we’ll find a way to do it at the crib like we did the first two games. Or else we will be home early. But they did for two games. We did it for two games. It’s best of three now.”
Donovan Mitchell accepted responsibility for the Cavaliers‘ woeful offense in Saturday’s loss at Orlando, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Mitchell was held scoreless in the second half — and Cleveland only managed 29 points after intermission — in a lopsided loss that evened the series at 2-2.
“You can’t have a drought like that,” he said. “It starts with me. I didn’t score in the second half. I’ve been starting second halves like that all series. Ten points (for Cleveland in the third quarter) is outrageous. We have to be better. I have to be better. I’m disappointed in myself and I’ll be better.”
Mitchell has been much better in the first half than the second throughout the series, and the Magic were able to completely shut him down today, mostly through the work of Jalen Suggs, who limited Mitchell to 1-of-6 shooting with three turnovers as his primary defender. The Cavs will have to find a way to unleash Mitchell when the series resumes Tuesday to avoid a second straight first-round exit.
There’s more on the Cavaliers:
- For all the speculation about Mitchell’s extension, Cleveland may have to trade him this summer because he’s a bad fit with the rest of the team, contends Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Vardon notes that Mitchell has only produced two good playoff games since the Cavs traded for him last year, and the team is just 3-6 in the postseason with Mitchell. He has 15 turnovers and seven made threes in the current series while shooting just 25% from beyond the arc.
- J.B. Bickerstaff is being out-coached in a series where his job is probably on the line, Vardon states in the same story. Vardon believes Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley is making better adjustments to the extent that Cavs center Jarrett Allen seemed to question Bickerstaff’s defensive approach after the loss in Game 3.
- The long-term value of Evan Mobley and Darius Garland may also be reexamined if the Cavaliers can’t win the series, Vardon adds. Although Mobley has been a difference maker on defense since he entered the league, his offensive game hasn’t developed and the Magic are dominating him physically in the playoffs, just as New York did last year. Mobley will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. Garland is in the first season of a five-year extension worth nearly $200MM, and Vardon wonders if the Cavs will be eager to keep both guards if they’re able to reach an extension with Mitchell.
Cavs coach definitely in trouble if they lose to Magic. That third Q was woeful …….
Cavs lose I certainly see changes. Then it will be is Donovan leaving. Not looking good. This is where Cavs need to show some cojones.
Maybe it’s time for Donovan Mitchell to work on his game in the offseason?
He’s another one of those guys who relies on his Ultra athleticism to help him get by all these years.
The dude can’t go left. When he does he’s not comfortable and will pull up or pass off or look lost ish.
But as they say he doesn’t need to go left when he can go right whenever he wants and score the ball. But as you get older you’re not quite as explosive and you need more skill as your athleticism slips. That time might be approaching for mitchell?
But You know he’ll work on it because he’s already developed a nice three-point shot that he didn’t have before.
I’m not suprised that ORL came back home and played well. They’re a young team with marginal outside shooting, and a much better team at home where the court seems to even things off.
Still, though, CLE doing what they did in these last 2 games is beyond disappointing. I actually thought they had turned a corner after the first 2 games in CLE, in particular with respect to their shot distribution and use of Mobley on the offensive end. It’s OK to lose 1 or even 2, but to get bulldozed the way they did and lose going away, it suggests capitulation. It’s the last form of baggage that this group needs to add to their cargo bin right now.
Orlando switched back to Wendell Carter as a starter for the matchup, and immediately blew them out twice. Cleveland is arguably better when 1 of their guys are out, but they should consider starting Okoro and Marcus Morris and bringing Garland/Allen off the bench
Orlando has all the 4s and smallball5s, and they could use the defense and spacing Morris could help with at that 4 spot