Donovan Mitchell is not panicking just yet. The Cleveland Cavaliers lost a devastating Game 2 at home against the Indiana Pacers in the last few seconds of the game despite leading almost the entire way.
A lack of concentration and a simple shortage of luck down the stretch have the Cavs heading into Indiana in the worst predicament possible.
Donovan Mitchell Remains Poised Even in a 0–2 Deficit
Even after his Cleveland Cavaliers fell into a 0-2 hole against the Indiana Pacers heading into their home turf, Mitchell appeared calm and confident.
“We gotta go get two in Indy. Simple as that,” Mitchell told reporters postgame. “I’m banged up, but we all are. It is what it is. I’ll be ready for Friday.”
Donovan Mitchell: "We gotta go get two in Indy. Simple as that" pic.twitter.com/GaTeMMzmFH
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24)
Mitchell has been the Cavs’ heartbeat, but even his spectacular performance in Game 2 — 48 points on 15-of-30 shooting, along with nine assists and four steals — was not enough to bring home a win.
Cleveland’s struggles weren’t due to a lack of effort from their superstar guard. It was rather a complete and total team collapse in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland led nearly the entire game but was outscored by the Pacers 36-21 in the final frame. Max Strus delivered a career postseason-high of 23 points, including 5-of-12 from beyond the arc, but a critical turnover in the final 30 seconds by Strus led to an Indiana possession that eventually led to a Pacers nail-biting victory.
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, embracing the “most overrated” chants from an acerbic Cleveland crowd, calmly knocked down the game-winning three and gave his team the 2-0 lead heading home.
Indiana now returns to its playground with a commanding series lead, leaving Cleveland desperate for answers. For the Cavs, who had the best regular season record in the East, this series was expected to be their statement, and most of the league expected the Cavs to cruise through the conference until meeting at least the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, but so far, this series has only raised questions.
Cavaliers’ head coach Kenny Atkinson’s postgame complaints about the physicality of the game along with Mitchell’s “banged up” comments seem to be the narrative that the Cavs are going with. However, with Games 3 and 4 in Indiana, it’s only going to get more physical from here and the Cavaliers are on the ropes.
READ: How Many Points Did Donovan Mitchell Score Tonight? Cavaliers’ Star’s Game 2 Performance vs. Pacers
While putting on a cool and collected front in the postgame press conference, Mitchell surely feels the burden and pressure on his shoulders to lead his team on enemy waters to try to even the series.
The Cavs have been missing a key piece of their roster in Darius Garland for this series, and his impending return could mean everything in the Cavs’ effort to reassert dominance and extend the series. In the meantime, if Mitchell is remaining calm, Cavs fans should have no reason not to do the same.
