The Cleveland Cavaliers’ star, Donovan Mitchell took last season’s playoff loss harder than most people knew. According to ESPN’s Marc Spears, the Cleveland Cavaliers star was “crushed” after his team was knocked out of the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Indiana Pacers.
How is Donovan Mitchell Motivating Teammates for the 2025-26 Season?
Speaking on NBA Today, Spears, the veteran NBA reporter shared that Mitchell needed nearly a month to move past the loss.
“He told me it took like a month to get over it,” Spears said. “He went on the road with Coco, and then just got back in the lab. He texted the core four, the rest of his teammates: one more rep, step, lift, to push and work hard. The Cavs actually came a couple weeks earlier than expected to training camp.”
That text message showed Mitchell’s mindset. The 29-year-old guard has been in the league nine seasons, but he still hasn’t made it past the second round. Now, he’s using last year’s heartbreak as fuel for another run.
The Cavaliers meanwhile, had an incredible regular season, finishing 64-18– the second-best record in team history. They even started the year 15-0 and had three separate 10-game winning streaks.
But when the playoffs came, the Pacers’ fast-paced offense and hot shooting were too much. The Cavs lost the series in five games, ending their season much earlier than expected.
In Game 5, Cleveland blew a 19-point lead and lost 105-114 to end their season. Mitchell gave everything he had, scoring 35 points on a sore leg, but it still wasn’t enough. “We’ll be back,” he said after the game, determined to turn the pain into motivation.
Even with key injuries to Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter, Mitchell nearly carried the Cavs on his own. He averaged 34.2 points per game in the series, including two 40-point games. His effort was unreal but insufficient.
How Have the Cavaliers Prepared for The 2025-26 Season?
Cleveland made some key changes over the summer. They offloaded Javonte Green, Ty Jerome, Chuma Okeke and Isaac Okoro, but added Lonzo Ball, Thomas Bryant and Larry Nance Jr. Likewise, Jr. Kenny Atkinson returns for his second season as head coach, and expectations are sky-high.
The Cavaliers are once again one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference. Mitchell, alongside Garland, Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, forms one of the strongest cores in the league.
Still, the team’s preseason didn’t go as planned–they dropped three of their four games, with Mitchell leading the scoring in two of them.
Now, with the regular season opener against the New York Knicks on Oct. 22, the focus is back on redemption. Mitchell will be playing to prove that Cleveland belongs among the best and his message to push harder shows he is ready.
