<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-new-role');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell embraces new role in relentless pursuit of a championship');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Donovan-Mitchell-embraces-new-role-in-relentless-pursuit-of-a-championship.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell embraces new role in relentless pursuit of a championship</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-03T09:48:28-07:00">April 3rd, 9:48am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-03T09:48:28-07:00">April 3rd, 9:48am</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Donovan Mitchell used to think that scoring was everything. It’s not surprising—when you’re known as one of the NBA’s <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/advanced?CF=MIN*GE*15&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;dir=-1&amp;sort=OFF_RATING" rel="noopener">most electric offensive threats</a>, pouring in points becomes second nature. But <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-kenny-atkinson-priorities-60-win">something has changed this season for the Cavs superstar</a>. Something more profound and mature has taken hold, driven by one simple yet daunting goal: winning an NBA championship.</p><p>Mitchell keeps his personal goals on his cell phone—a constant reminder of what he wants to achieve. Other than winning a championship, one of those goals is more personal. Becoming a more complete player, starting with rebounding. In <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-cleveland-playoff-preparations-test-knicks">Cleveland’s game against</a> the New York Knicks, he pulled down six boards—a step closer to his benchmark. But the numbers only tell part of the story.</p><p>“For years, I always thought you just scored,” Mitchell said after putting up 27 against New York. “I’m not gonna lie. Y’all have seen it in my play at times, especially early in my career. It’s all I knew. This was all new to me. Like, I didn’t expect to be Donovan Mitchell.”</p><p>The Cavs traded for Mitchell with one expectation: score and keep scoring. And he’s delivered, averaging over 25 points per game since arriving in Cleveland. Yet, as the Cavs pursue a title, they need more from their star than just buckets. Fortunately, Mitchell is embracing that challenge head-on.</p><h2><b>Leading the Cavs by example</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Donovan-Mitchell-celebrates-Cavs-Pregame.jpg"><figcaption>Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In a recent matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, Mitchell’s impact transcended scoring. He ripped down 12 rebounds, helping to neutralize the bruising presence of Ivica Zubac, who had tormented Cleveland’s front line in a previous meeting. On another night, his three blocks sparked the Cavs during a sluggish stretch, showcasing his commitment to defense and effort plays that don’t always make the highlight reel.</p><p>Mitchell’s willingness to sacrifice his scoring instincts for hustle and defense marks a seismic shift in his approach. Long known for his offensive brilliance, he’s now making his presence felt on the boards and in the paint—areas once considered weak spots in his game. His athleticism and wingspan, combined with a newfound determination, are now being used to bolster Cleveland’s defensive identity.</p><p>“He’s leading it,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said when asked about Mitchell doing the little things. “He backs it up. He’s on the guys in the huddle, and there’s no question who our leader is. He’s leading by example right now, doing the dirty work.”</p><p>It’s a stark contrast from his earlier years, where defensive lapses often overshadowed his offensive heroics in the postseason. This time around, Mitchell seems to understand that championship basketball demands more than scoring explosions. It requires sacrifice, grit, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to secure a win.</p><h2><b>A mentor’s influence led to Donovan Mitchell’s evolution</b></h2><p>Mitchell’s transformation didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen alone. A key figure behind this evolution is associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, a mentor and motivator who knows Mitchell better than anyone in the league. Their bond was forged in Utah when Bryant was instrumental in shaping Mitchell’s early career. Now, reunited in Cleveland, Bryant has played a pivotal role in pushing Mitchell to expand his game.</p><p>“I got to give Johnnie a lot of credit in that (role change) too,” Mitchell said. “He was pretty much the first person to kind of bring it to me. Because as a head coach, you delegate to the other coaches and whatnot. So he was like, ‘Hey, this is what it’s going to look like’. And it wasn’t really a question.</p><p>“It wasn’t really like, ‘Hey, are you cool?’ That’s just the relationship we have. It’s more like, ‘Hey, this is what it’s going to be and this is what’s going to help take us to the next level.’ And I trust that guy with everything, man. That’s more than just a coach, that’s a brother, that’s family. That’s somebody that I trust with just life, let alone just basketball.”</p><p>Bryant’s tough love has been crucial. Whether it’s tearing into Mitchell at halftime for playing too casually or challenging him to make winning plays beyond just scoring, Bryant has been unafraid to confront his star. It’s the kind of accountability that Mitchell has not only accepted but embraced.</p><p>“There are times during the game where I hear him cuss me out and my teammates be like, ‘Bro, he’s tripping.’ I’m like, no, this is just Thursday,” Mitchell joked. “I appreciate that. I thrive off that and really thrive off coaching in that regard.”</p><h2><b>A Wine and Gold winner’s mindset</b></h2><p>As the playoffs loom, Mitchell knows that his scoring will still be crucial for the Cavs, especially against Eastern Conference powerhouses like the Boston Celtics. But his newfound versatility could be the difference between another early exit and a legitimate title run.</p><p>He’s learned that leadership isn’t just about putting up points. It’s about finding ways to impact the game in any way possible—whether that means crashing the boards, contesting shots, or motivating his teammates to give that extra effort.</p><p>“It’s a different approach,” Mitchell said. “It’s a different view on certain things, and that’s ultimately what a leader, and what a guy like myself, should do. Finding ways to impact winning. … How do I continue to help the team? Because when you help the team and we win, everything else kind of falls into place.”</p><p>Mitchell’s willingness to embrace this challenge not only shows growth but also signifies his desire to elevate Cleveland to new heights. The Cavs have seen firsthand what happens when Mitchell’s fire burns brightest—now they’re counting on it to light their path to a championship.</p><p>This version of Donovan Mitchell is different—more complete, more determined, and more focused on the ultimate goal. He’s not just trying to be a superstar anymore. He’s trying to be a champion.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell embraces new role in relentless pursuit of a championship

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/cavs-news-wild-undefeated-donovan-mitchell-trend-still-alive-spurs-takedown');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wild undefeated Donovan Mitchell trend still alive after Spurs takedown');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Wild-undefeated-Donovan-Mitchell-trend-still-alive-after-Spurs-takedown.jpg"></figure><h1>Wild undefeated Donovan Mitchell trend still alive after Spurs takedown</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-27T21:33:50-07:00">March 27th, 9:33pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-27T21:34:47-07:00">March 27th, 9:34pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sportswriter who is comfortable covering many different sports. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>One of the reasons why the Cleveland Cavaliers (59-14) have controlled the Eastern Conference all season-long is because they can rely on other players aside from Donovan Mitchell to manufacture offense. However, this squad is still at its best when Spida leaves a big mark on the action.</p><p>The Cavs survived a shorthanded yet feisty San Antonio Spurs team (31-41) on Thursday night, as Mitchell snapped out of a recent funk and posted 25 points, 14 assists, eight rebounds, one steal and one block in a 124-116 home win. <a href="https://x.com/statmuse/status/1905432266832035991" rel="noopener">Cleveland remains undefeated</a> when Mitchell records at least 25 points and 10 dimes in a game, per StatMuse.</p><h2><b>Cavs trust Donovan Mitchell to enter another gear when necessary</b></h2><p>On a team lauded for its balance and depth, No. 45 is still the engine. He had shot below 40 percent from the field in six of his last seven contests going into this meeting with the Spurs, but perhaps Mitchell is <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-reveals-2-goals-rest-season-70-win-dreams-fade" rel="noopener">flipping the switch back on</a> as the Cavs prepare to enter playoff mode.</p><p>The 2023 All-NBA Second-Team selection and franchise as a whole have the reputation of getting swallowed by the moment. This is the Cavaliers’ chance to squash that narrative by advancing to the NBA Finals and winning a title without LeBron James. A recent four-game losing streak raised some concerns because of the aforementioned track record, but one cannot just dismiss the <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-16-game-winning-streak-gets-perfect-super-bowl-mention-fan" rel="noopener">historic 16-game winning streak</a> that preceded it.</p><p>Although Cleveland still has some things to iron out, it has now won its last three matchups. The importance of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen cannot be overstated, but this team will only reach its ceiling if Donovan Mitchell performs like the star he is when it matters most. Because, as the data shows, there is no stopping the Cavs when he is impacting the game as both a scorer and playmaker.</p><p>This group has enjoyed a stellar regular season. Now, it must validate all the hard work and wins with a momentous postseason trip. Mitchell, his teammates, and the coaching staff need to use the last nine games to get in the right mindset for the most important time of the year.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wild undefeated Donovan Mitchell trend still alive after Spurs takedown

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/darius-garlands-takeover-ended-donovan-mitchell-less-cavs-roadtrip-in-style');   ga('set', 'title', 'Darius Garland’s takeover ended Donovan Mitchell-less Cavs’ roadtrip in style');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cleveland-ends-road-trip-in-style-as-Darius-Garland-takes-over-against-Trail-Blazers.jpg"></figure><h1>Darius Garland’s takeover ended Donovan Mitchell-less Cavs’ roadtrip in style</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-26T12:13:15-07:00">March 26th, 12:13pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-26T12:13:15-07:00">March 26th, 12:13pm</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For Darius Garland and the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s not how you start—it’s how you finish. The Cavs capped off their grueling five-game road trip with a statement win, taking down the Portland Trail Blazers 122-111. While it wasn’t a picture-perfect performance, it was a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-snap-losing-streak-jazz">return to form for a Cleveland squad</a> that had looked out of sorts during a <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/cle/cleveland-cavaliers" rel="noopener">recent four-game losing streak</a>.</p><p>More importantly, it was a reminder of how dangerous this Cavs team can be when its stars shine—especially Darius Garland, who <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-cleveland-road-trip-finale-blazers">took center stage in Cleveland superstar Donovan Mitchell’s absence</a>.</p><p>At one point during this cross-country trek, the Cavs seemed to be on the verge of unraveling. Heavy legs, poor shooting, and lackluster defense had them looking nothing like the Eastern Conference’s top team. At times, frustration was palpable, stretching from the locker room to the fans watching back in Cleveland. But head coach Kenny Atkinson never wavered, urging his team to look in the mirror, acknowledge their flaws, and get back to the fundamentals.</p><h2><b>Darius Garland helped the Cavs get down to business to defeat the Blazers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Darius-Garland-drives-Cavs-v-Trail-Blazers.jpg"><figcaption>Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>That mentality was on display Tuesday night. The Blazers, clinging to their fading postseason hopes, came out swinging. The opening quarter was a shootout, with both teams trading blows and finishing the frame knotted at 33 apiece. But when the second quarter began, Cleveland’s defense finally came alive. The Cavs turned stops into easy buckets, building an 11-point lead before heading into halftime up 60-52.</p><p>Portland wasn’t going to go away quietly. The Blazers roared back in the third quarter, dropping 34 points and repeatedly cutting Cleveland’s lead to a single possession. But every time Portland made a push, the Cavs had an answer. Ty Jerome—who turned in his best performance in a Cavs uniform—scored 13 of his 25 points in that period, keeping Cleveland in control.</p><p>The fourth quarter was where Garland took over. With Portland once again making a final push, Cleveland’s young star put his foot down and closed the door. He orchestrated the offense with precision, attacking the defense with a mix of floaters, mid-range pull-ups, and crafty finishes at the rim. The Blazers had no answer for him. The Cavs star poured in nine critical points in the final frame, including a stretch of seven straight, before sinking a dagger jumper from the corner to put the game out of reach.</p><p>Garland’s final line—27 points on 11-of-19 shooting with eight assists—only tells part of the story. This was a performance reminiscent of the All-Star-caliber guard the Cavs know he can be. It was a throwback to a time when Garland dictated the flow of games with his handle, footwork, and vision, slicing through defenses with the confidence of a veteran floor general.</p><p>This road trip hadn’t been kind to Garland. His numbers were respectable, but he hadn’t been the impact player Cleveland needed him to be. The three-point shot hadn’t been falling, and there were stretches where he didn’t look like an offensive focal point. That wasn’t the case in Portland. This was the version of Garland that makes the Cavs a true contender—a fearless, high-IQ playmaker who can take over when the moment demands it.</p><h2><b>How Cleveland supported Darius Garland to secure the win</b></h2><p>Garland wasn’t alone in carrying the load. Ty Jerome, playing just his second game after a lengthy injury absence, provided a massive spark off the bench with 25 points in 21 minutes. His timely shot-making was crucial in preventing the Blazers from stealing momentum. Meanwhile, Evan Mobley was a force on both ends, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks in a dominant showing. Jarrett Allen (14 points), Sam Merrill (14), and De’Andre Hunter (11) also contributed to the balanced effort.</p><p>The win moves Cleveland to 58-14 on the season, maintaining their five-game lead over Boston for the Eastern Conference’s top seed with just 10 games remaining. More importantly, it provides the kind of confidence boost this team needed heading into the final stretch.</p><p>Last season, an injury-related absence for Donovan Mitchell might have spelled disaster. But this year’s Cavs have evolved. They don’t just rely on one superstar to carry them—they have multiple players capable of stepping up when called upon. Tuesday night was proof of that.</p><p>The flight home will feel much different than it would have just a few days ago. What once seemed like a road trip spiraling into disaster now ends with a sense of accomplishment. Cleveland fought through adversity, rediscovered its identity, and saw one of its most important players return to form.</p><p>For Garland, this wasn’t just another win—it was a statement. A reminder that when he’s at his best, the Cavs are a different beast entirely.</p><p>And as the playoffs loom, that’s a reality the rest of the NBA should be paying close attention to.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Darius Garland’s takeover ended Donovan Mitchell-less Cavs’ roadtrip in style

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/donovan-mitchell-assigns-blame-cavs-4-game-losing-streak');   ga('set', 'title', 'Donovan Mitchell assigns blame for Cavs’ 4-game losing streak');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CAVS-NATION-Cavs-news-Donovan-Mitchell-assigns-blame-for-Cleveland-4-game-losing-streak.jpg"></figure><h1>Donovan Mitchell assigns blame for Cavs’ 4-game losing streak</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-22T13:29:51-07:00">March 22nd, 1:29pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-22T13:29:51-07:00">March 22nd, 1:29pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints and Cavs Nation, as well as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>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 <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-reveals-2-goals-rest-season-70-win-dreams-fade">Mitchell revealed two goals as 70-wins fades</a> 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.</p><p>Mitchell <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2025/03/whats-wrong-with-the-cavs-it-starts-with-donovan-mitchell.html?outputType=amp" rel="noopener">says</a> he has to steer the Cavs in the right direction, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.</p><p>“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.”</p><p>Despite the four-game skid, the Cavs remain atop the Eastern Conference standings. Perhaps looking at the bigger picture, Mitchell <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6214983/2025/03/19/cleveland-cavaliers-losing-streak-clippers/" rel="noopener">magnified</a> what’s most important, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.</p><p>“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.</p><p>The Oklahoma City Thunder (58-12) surpassed the Cavs for the league’s best record.</p><h2><b>Kenny Atkinson sends a warning after Cavs’ loss</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cavs-head-coach-Kenny-Atkinson_321523.jpg"><figcaption>Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After leading the Cavs to a historic 16-game win streak, head coach <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-kenny-atkinson-sends-playoff-warning-cleveland-allowing-132-points-clippers">Kenny Atkinson sent a playoff warning to his team</a> 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.</p><p>After the loss, Atkinson <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6214983/2025/03/19/cleveland-cavaliers-losing-streak-clippers/" rel="noopener">discussed</a> his team’s performance, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.</p><p>“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.”</p><p>“That kind of performance can’t survive in a playoff atmosphere, a playoff situation.”</p><p>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.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Donovan Mitchell assigns blame for Cavs’ 4-game losing streak

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-gives-sicko-reason-for-enjoying-3rd-straight-loss');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell gives ‘sicko’ reason for ‘enjoying’ 3rd straight loss');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CAVS-NATION-Cavs-news-Donovan-Mitchell-gives-sicko-reason-for-enjoying-3rd-straight-loss.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell gives ‘sicko’ reason for ‘enjoying’ 3rd straight loss</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-20T10:18:23-07:00">March 20th, 10:18am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-20T10:18:23-07:00">March 20th, 10:18am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints and Cavs Nation in October 2023. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-reveals-2-goals-rest-season-70-win-dreams-fade" rel="noopener">Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mithcell has goals</a> for the rest of the season, the team first has to bounce back amid a three-game losing streak. It wasn’t too long ago that the <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-cleveland-16-game-winning-streak-ends-heartbreaking-fashion-magic" rel="noopener">Cavs were on a 16-game winning streak</a>, but now that they are on the skid, Mitchell sees it in a positive light.</p><p>Mitchell spoke after the Cavs’ last loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, 123-119, where the star finished with 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He would express how because he’s <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2025/03/why-donovan-mitchell-is-enjoying-the-cavs-three-game-losing-streak.html" rel="noopener">“kind of a sicko,”</a> he enjoys this as the team is looking to overcome hurdles according to Cleveland.com.</p><p>“I’m trying to refrain from using the word happy,” Mitchell said. “I’m kind of a sicko, so I enjoy this. This is what makes the season fun — going through adversity.”</p><p>“The sky is not falling. But we have some (expletive) to figure out,” Mitchell continued. “This is part of it. We have to be better. That’s no lie. I feel like this is something that is really going to help us going forward. You don’t grow without going through things…It’s another challenge for us.”</p><h2><b>Donovan Mitchell on the lessons the Cavs are having</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Donovan-Mitchell-on-March-19-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Even with the losing streak, the <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-make-history-2nd-15-game-win-streak-single-season" rel="noopener">Cavs have had a historic season</a> in their franchise history so while a loss could be seen as an opportunity to be better, Mitchell still is frustrated. However, he sees it as “lessons you want to have.”</p><p>“I’m not ever going to be happy that we are losing a game. But these are lessons you want to have — now,” Mitchell said. “When the time comes and we’re in Boston, New York, Milwaukee, Indiana, wherever we are at, and our backs are against the wall, you remember Sacramento, the Clippers or Orlando at home. You have something that is fresh on your brain.</p><p>“I think when you have had the success that we have had it’s human nature at some point to have a little slippage,” Mitchell continued. “We have had slippage throughout the season. But we have covered it up with wins. Fortunately, we have built a cushion so we’re not in certain situations as some other teams.”</p><h2><b>Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell on the skid happening at the “perfect time”</b></h2><p>With the <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-kenny-atkinson-sends-playoff-warning-cleveland-allowing-132-points-clippers" rel="noopener">Cavs looking to make major noise in the playoffs</a>, they are going through the motions like any top team which Mitchell acknowledges.</p><p>“You have to go through these things to learn what you have to fix and how to fix it,” Mitchell said. “I like that it is now. This is the perfect time, right before we are about to get into it. On the road. March has been a hell of a schedule. All these obstacles. These are the tests we have talked about. How are we going to react? This is what I enjoy because it’s finding ways to get better and continuing to grow.”</p><p>“The outside world, I don’t know what’s being said, it may look crazy, but this is what you want,” Mitchell continued. “You want to bring this on now so when it becomes playoff time, we’re not running into this for the first time.”</p><p>The Cavs are still 56-13 which puts them first in the East as they next face the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell gives ‘sicko’ reason for ‘enjoying’ 3rd straight loss

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-reveals-2-goals-rest-season-70-win-dreams-fade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell reveals 2 goals for rest of season as 70-win dreams fade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Donovan-Mitchell-reveals-2-goals-for-rest-of-season-as-70-win-dreams-fade.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell reveals 2 goals for rest of season as 70-win dreams fade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-19T08:45:32-07:00">March 19th, 8:45am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-19T10:04:08-07:00">March 19th, 10:04am</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints and Cavs Nation.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>70 wins is hard to achieve in a typical NBA season. <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-kenny-atkinson-sends-playoff-warning-cleveland-allowing-132-points-clippers">Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers are experiencing</a> this firsthand.</p><p>Only two teams in NBA history have achieved the feat in the regular season: the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (72-10) and 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (73-9). The Cavaliers still have a chance to accomplish it, but following Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, they must go undefeated to reach 70 wins.</p><p>Mitchell reflected on the potential accomplishment after the loss, per <i>The Athletic</i>‘s Joe Vardon. He emphasized the team’s health and performance comes first over the feat, while <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6214983/2025/03/19/cleveland-cavaliers-losing-streak-clippers/" rel="noopener">stating two goals that he and the unit must achieve</a>.</p><p>“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.</p><h2><b>What’s next for Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Donovan-Mitchell-Cleveland-Cavaliers-logo-fire-symbols.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Donovan Mitchell naming the goals for the Cavaliers is noteworthy, considering the value they’re placing on their performances over the allure of being the third 70-win team in NBA history.</p><p>The <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-cleveland-16-game-winning-streak-ends-heartbreaking-fashion-magic">Cavaliers still have a chance to make franchise history</a> even if they don’t reach 70 wins. They remain on pace to surpass their best regular season performance in franchise history; it happened in the 2008-09 campaign when they finished 66-16. Accomplishing that will be a solid consolation prize for the fans to witness from this current generation of Cleveland basketball.</p><p>Cleveland has a 56-12 record on the season, maintaining the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They have a 6.5-game lead over the Boston Celtics, while being even with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the league.</p><p>Following Tuesday’s defeat to the Clippers, the Cavaliers will look to bounce back in their next road matchup. They face the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell reveals 2 goals for rest of season as 70-win dreams fade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-cleveland-winning-streak-donovan-mitchell');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs aim for NBA’s longest winning streak of the season without Donovan Mitchell');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cavs-news-Cleveland-aims-for-NBAs-longest-winning-streak-of-the-season-without-Donovan-Mitchell.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs aim for NBA’s longest winning streak of the season without Donovan Mitchell</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-14T13:02:02-07:00">March 14th, 1:02pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-14T13:02:02-07:00">March 14th, 1:02pm</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the verge of making history, aiming to become the only team this season to put together a 16-game winning streak. After already having a 15-game run earlier in the year, Cleveland is in rare form. They’ve grinded through the dog days of the NBA season and now, their eyes are <a href="https://x.com/cavs/status/1897478114050982077" rel="noopener">firmly set on the playoffs</a>. But as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting/cavaliers-vs-grizzlies-prediction-odds-pick-spread-3-14-2025">Cleveland prepares to face</a> the Memphis Grizzlies on the road, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-kenny-atkinson-update-donovan-mitchell-injury">Cavs will have to do so without</a> Donovan Mitchell, their best player.</p><p>Donovan Mitchell remains sidelined with a lingering groin injury. Sitting Mitchell appears to be a precautionary move by the Cavs to ensure he is fully healthy when it matters most. Thankfully, head coach Kenny Atkinson said that it seems that Mitchell’s injury isn’t serious.</p><p>“In Charlotte there was a little bit of soreness,” Atkinson said. “I think that’s when it started. [It’s] definitely not something huge … not a huge deal. But I think we err on the side of caution, but he always wants to play.”</p><h2><b>The Cavs must remain cautious with Donovan Mitchell’s injury</b></h2><p>Cleveland has every reason to be cautious with Mitchell. Last season, his knee issues flared up at the worst possible time, leaving him compromised in the playoffs and eventually forcing him to miss the final two games of their second-round series against the Boston Celtics.</p><p>With that lesson fresh in their minds, the Cavs are prioritizing long-term success over short-term gain. Their ultimate goal isn’t just another regular-season milestone. Instead, it’s a deep postseason run.</p><p>Even without Mitchell, Cleveland proved they could win tough games, taking down Brooklyn 109-104 in their last outing. That victory not only clinched the Central Division title but also secured a playoff berth. Now, with De’Andre Hunter expected to return to the lineup, the Cavs will have some reinforcements as they take on the Grizzlies.</p><p>Hunter, acquired at the trade deadline, has yet to experience a loss in a Cavs uniform. His return will be a welcome boost, providing additional defense and perimeter scoring as the team looks to keep their streak alive.</p><h2><b>This game’s availability could decide Defensive Player of the Year</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Evan-Mobley-dribbles-Cavs-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Grizzlies, however, won’t be at full strength. They will be without Santi Aldama (right calf strain), Yuki Kawamura (on assignment in the NBA G League), and Zyon Pullin (right patellar tendon surgery). However, they may get a critical piece back in Jaren Jackson Jr., who has missed several games with a sprained left ankle.</p><p>Jackson’s potential return sets up a marquee showdown between him and Evan Mobley. With Victor Wembanyama’s recent season-ending injury, Defensive Player of the Year is now seemingly a two-man contest between Jackson and Mobley. This head-to-head matchup could be the defining moment of the campaign. It will be the last time either Jackson and Mobley face off during the regular season. So, expect either big man to leave it all out there on the floor.</p><p>Mobley has been vocal about his goals this season. He wanted to make his first All-Star team and win Defensive Player of the Year. The former has already been checked off the list. Now, Mobley has the perfect stage to make a final push for the latter.</p><p>Jackson, last season’s Defensive Player of the Year, is still an elite shot-blocker. However, his on-off numbers don’t paint as dominant a picture as Mobley’s. With Jackson missing time recently, this game could serve as Mobley’s opportunity to cement his claim as the league’s best defender.</p><h2><b>Evan Mobley has to carry the Cavs on the road against the Grizzlies</b></h2><p>Cleveland will need Mobley to step up even more in Mitchell’s absence. The Cavs’ offense took a noticeable hit without their star guard against Brooklyn, struggling to create high-quality looks until late in the game. Darius Garland shouldered most of the playmaking load, but the team will need more from Mobley as a scoring option, particularly in transition and around the basket.</p><p>The road ahead isn’t easy for Cleveland. But this group has proven they can win under any circumstance. Their ability to grind out victories, even when missing key players, has made them the team to beat.</p><p>With Mitchell’s health being carefully managed, Hunter returning to bolster the lineup, and Mobley aiming to put the Defensive Player of the Year race to rest, Cleveland has everything in place to continue its dominance. The only thing left to do now is take care of business once again.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs aim for NBA’s longest winning streak of the season without Donovan Mitchell

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-kenny-atkinson-update-donovan-mitchell-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson gives reasurring update on Donovan Mitchell’s injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cavs-news-Kenny-Atkinson-gives-reasurring-update-on-Donovan-Mitchells-injury.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson gives reasurring update on Donovan Mitchell’s injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-11T20:49:28-07:00">March 11th, 8:49pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-11T20:49:28-07:00">March 11th, 8:49pm</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Cleveland Cavaliers know their playoff aspirations rest on the shoulders of Donovan Mitchell. But at home against the Brooklyn Nets, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/is-donovan-mitchell-playing-tonight-cavs-nets-injury-report">Mitchell’s shoulders, and the rest of him</a>, were on the sidelines. A surprise addition to the injury report with left groin soreness, Mitchell’s absence left a noticeable void. Nevertheless, t<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting/nets-vs-cavaliers-prediction-odds-pick-spread-3-11-2025">he Cavs responded with a gritty 109-104 victory over the Nets</a>.</p><p>Before the game Clevleand head coach Kenny Atkinson, however, quickly put concerns to rest, emphasizing that Mitchell’s injury isn’t a long-term issue.</p><p>“In Charlotte (where they played last Friday) there was a little bit of soreness,” Atkinson said. “I think that’s when it started. [It’s] definitely not something huge … not a huge deal. But I think we err on the side of caution, but he always wants to play.”</p><p>That desire to play through pain has, at times, come at a cost for Mitchell. Around this time last year, he pushed through discomfort in his knee, an injury that lingered into the playoffs and eventually sidelined him for the final two games of Cleveland’s second-round series against the Boston Celtics. The Cavs, learning from past mistakes, are determined not to let history repeat itself.</p><p>Their focus is clear: this season’s success will not be measured by regular-season accomplishments, but by what happens to the Cavs in the playoffs.</p><p>“I was just thinking the other day about the Detroit Lions,” Atkinson said. “They had a great year, then they lose in the playoffs. … It was a disappointment. We don’t want to be there, so we’re focused. We’re locked in.”</p><p>For reference, those Lions lost their first playoff game after going 15-2 in the regular season. So, the focus is to keep Mitchell fresh and ready for the grind ahead. This latest groin issue, while not as severe as last season’s knee injury, will be handled with an abundance of caution. The Cavs know they need him at full strength when it matters most.</p><h2><b>No Donovan Mitchell led to the Cavs mixing things up against the Nets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Donovan-Mitchell-dribbles-Cavs-Bucks.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Without Mitchell, Cleveland still managed to take care of business against the Nets, despite also missing De’Andre Hunter (illness) and Ty Jerome (rest). Depth has been a hallmark of this Cavs team, allowing them to adapt to missing pieces throughout the season. But Mitchell’s absence was evident in how they struggled offensively.</p><p>The Cavs’ starting lineup of Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen lacked the multiple off-the-dribble threats that typically make their offense so dynamic. Garland was the only player who could consistently create his shot and facilitate for others. That limitation was reflected in the shot quality, particularly from beyond the arc. The Cavs hesitated on open looks and struggled to find a rhythm, leading to a choppy offensive performance through three quarters.</p><p>But when the offense faltered, the defense stepped up.</p><p>Atkinson leaned heavily on defensive-minded lineups down the stretch, with Okoro and Dean Wade logging significant fourth-quarter minutes. The result? Brooklyn managed just 18 points in the final period, shooting a mere 6-for-18 from the field.</p><p>“I feel like we came out with a different mindset,” Atkinson said. “In the first half [you could say], ‘Well they shot it really well.’ I’d argue they had a lot of freedom of moment. In the second half, I felt like we got into a little bit led by JA (Allen) and Ice (Okoro). Ice’s job on Cam Thomas, I know he had 27, but he made him work.”</p><h2><b>Cleveland’s defense gritted out a win over Brooklyn</b></h2><p>Winning with defense was a statement for Cleveland, a reminder that even without their offensive catalyst, they can still impose their will on opponents. It also reinforced the importance of Mitchell’s availability when the games truly start to matter.</p><p>The Cavs will continue to monitor Mitchell’s groin issue closely. While he heals, the message is clear: they will not rush Mitchell back. The playoffs are the goal, and a fully healthy Mitchell is their best chance at making sure this season isn’t just another “what if.”</p><p>For now, the Cavs have proved they can win without him. But when the stakes rise, they know they’ll need their superstar at his best. And they’re doing everything in their power to make sure that happens.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson gives reasurring update on Donovan Mitchell’s injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/is-donovan-mitchell-playing-tonight-cavs-nets-injury-report');   ga('set', 'title', 'Is Donovan Mitchell playing tonight? Cavs vs. Nets injury report');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Is-Donovan-Mitchell-playing-tonight-Cavs-vs.-Nets-injury-report.jpg"></figure><h1>Is Donovan Mitchell playing tonight? Cavs vs. Nets injury report</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-11T11:10:47-07:00">March 11th, 11:10am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-11T11:10:47-07:00">March 11th, 11:10am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Tuesday evening, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting/nets-vs-cavaliers-prediction-odds-pick-spread-3-11-2025">Cleveland Cavaliers will host</a> the Brooklyn Nets, hoping to push their winning streak to 15 games in the process. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-donovan-mitchell-sends-blunt-warning-after-bulls-win">Cavs star Donovan Mitchell</a> is on the injury report for this one, currently listed as questionable with left groin soreness. Here’s everything we know about Mitchell’s injury and <a href="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2025-03-11_12PM.pdf" rel="noopener">his playing status</a> vs the Nets.</p><p><b><i>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (</i></b><a href="https://www.fubo.tv/stream/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener"><b><i>Get Access | Save $30</i></b></a><i>)</i><b><i>*</i></b></p><h2><b>Donovan Mitchell playing status vs Nets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Mitchell-vs-the-Bucks.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Given his current designation as questionable, there is some doubt as to whether or not Donovan Mitchell will be able to suit up for Tuesday’s home clash with the Nets. Joining Mitchell on the injury report is De’Andre Hunter, who is also listed as questionable due to an illness, while Ty Jerome will miss the contest, as the Cavaliers are opting to rest him.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Nets will be without point guard D’Angelo Russell due to right ankle injury management, but have a a fairly clean injury report outside of that.</p><p>The Cavaliers have not lost a game in well over a month, currently sitting with a 14-game winning streak as the season enters its home stretch. Mitchell has seen a slight dip in his statistics over the last month but it hasn’t mattered in the slightest, as the Cavaliers’ trade deadline acquisition of De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks has paid immense dividends thus far.</p><p>Skeptics are still wondering whether the Cavaliers have what it takes to dethrone the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics in the East, the team who gave Cleveland their last loss all the way back on February 4. However, the Cavaliers have since defeated the Celtics–in Boston, no less–in order to alleviate some of those concerns heading into the postseason.</p><p>In any case, the Cavaliers and Nets are slated to tip off at 7:30 PM ET from Cleveland.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Is Donovan Mitchell playing tonight? Cavs vs. Nets injury report

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-gets-major-mvp-endorsement-from-kenny-atkinson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell gets major MVP endorsement from Kenny Atkinson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Donovan-Mitchell-makes-tough-admission-about-new-All-Star-Game-format.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell gets major MVP endorsement from Kenny Atkinson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-10T20:53:36-07:00">March 10th, 8:53pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-10T20:55:05-07:00">March 10th, 8:55pm</time><address><a>Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-kenny-atkinson-sets-stunning-franchise-record-win-vs-bucks">Cleveland Cavaliers have shown that they were not simply an early-season mirage</a>; they have used their hot start to the 2024-25 season as a springboard to emerge as a legitimate championship contender. At present, the Cavs have the best record in the NBA, with 54 wins against just 10 losses — credentials that make them one of the most feared teams in the association. But even then, none of their players, not even Donovan Mitchell, have been drawing serious buzz to win the MVP award.</p><p>Mitchell, who hopes that he would garner at least some sort of consideration for the award, doesn’t think that voters will give him a shot. Nonetheless, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson, who works with Mitchell at such an up-close and personal level, endorsed Spida for MVP, saying that his <a href="https://cavaliersnation.com/2025/03/10/kenny-atkinson-makes-his-mvp-case-for-donovan-mitchell-best-player-on-best-team/" rel="noopener">case for the award</a> is similar to that of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s.</p><p>“I hope we will (have Donovan in the top five of MVP voting). If you look at Shai, Shai’s having a great year, Donovan is right there. Just for argument’s sake, best player on best team,” Atkinson said, via Cavaliers Nation.</p><p>Of course, the argument for MVP goes beyond how important a player is to the league’s most successful team. Over the past few years, voters haven’t placed as much emphasis on a team’s success as much as they do on someone’s individual brilliance as well as their overall impact — gauging just how much of their team’s success depends on the individual.</p><p>Mitchell’s statistical case admittedly pales in comparison to that of Gilgeous-Alexander’s and especially Nikola Jokic’s. But with the Cavs excelling this season, it would be quite a huge disservice if no Cleveland player finishes in the top-five of the MVP voting.</p><h2><b>Cavs are brilliant by committee</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Jarrett_Allen_Evan_Mobley_and_Donovan_Mitchell.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>It’s not quite fair for some individuals’ MVP case to be penalized when they play for such a deep team. This is the crux of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP argument; his averages of 32.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists are definitely worthy of the award, but even that statistical profile fares much worse against Nikola Jokic’s.</p><p>This season, <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-donovan-mitchell-mvp-endorsement-richard-jefferson" rel="noopener">Donovan Mitchell’s numbers are down for the Cavs</a>, with Spida taking a bit of a backseat to the likes of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. This is a noble sacrifice that has allowed Cleveland to blossom into the best team in the association, record-wise at least. But sacrifice cannot be considered as such without cost, and Mitchell’s MVP candidacy has taken a huge hit as a result.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell gets major MVP endorsement from Kenny Atkinson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-reveals-where-he-and-darius-garland-stand-in-nba-backcourt-history');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell reveals where he and Darius Garland stand in NBA backcourt history');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cavs-nation-Cavs-news-Donovan-Mitchell-reveals-where-he-and-Darius-Garland-stand-in-NBA-backcourt-history.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell reveals where he and Darius Garland stand in NBA backcourt history</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-07T23:04:37-08:00">March 7th, 11:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-07T23:04:37-08:00">March 7th, 11:04pm</time><address><a>Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-weaves-through-hornets-defense-insane-buzzer-beater" rel="noopener">Cleveland Cavaliers continue to roll</a>. On Friday night, the Cavs extended their winning streak to 13 games after escaping with a 118-117 win over the Charlotte Hornets. They managed to overcome a rough shooting night by getting to the foul line, attempting 51 free-throw attempts as a team and making 43 of them. It may not have been the best of nights for the league’s best team at the moment, but the mark of a true contending team is still being able to get the job done under suboptimal circumstances.</p><p>Over the offseason, some critics believe that the backcourt partnership of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland was on borrowed time. But what a difference a year makes; from believing that they cannibalize each other’s games, some fans are hailing them as perhaps the most skilled backcourt duo in NBA history. Mitchell, however, <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1898238937854099650" rel="noopener">wants to pump the brakes</a> on that one considering how many skilled duos have come before the Cavs’ star partnership.</p><p>“Ooh, that’s a lot. In history? That’s tough,” Mitchell told Jerry Donatien, Hornets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. “I’m never gonna put anyone ahead of us because that’s just, we can’t. But I think there was a backcourt of Kyrie Irving and James Harden that existed. There’s a backcourt of Kyrie and Luka [Doncic] existed… [But] I can kind of see what he’s saying.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reporter: “A lot of guys have been calling you and Darius Garland the best bag-court in NBA history… Where do you think you guys rank amongst the most skilled backcourts in NBA history?”</p><p>Donovan Mitchell: “Ooh, that’s a lot. In history? That’s tough… I’m never gonna put… <a href="https://t.co/1tBmUvJ0hJ">pic.twitter.com/1tBmUvJ0hJ</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1898238937854099650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>Mitchell has always been humble, preferring to let his game do the talking and letting the fans and critics decide where he stands among his peers. And perhaps there is a point in Mitchell’s hesitation in naming him and Garland as the most skilled backcourt duo; after all, he will be the first to say that they <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-perfect-take-after-comeback-win-vs-celtics" rel="noopener">haven’t really achieved much yet during their time together on the Cavs</a>. But they are certainly well on track for this distinction, provided that they sustain this level of play for a good amount of time.</p><h2><b>Cavs emerge as a powerhouse despite criticisms</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Cavs-guard-Donovan-Mitchell-45-and-guard-Darius-Garland-10.jpg"><figcaption>© David Richard-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Many critics are quick to give up on a core that underperforms in the playoffs. The Cavs exited the playoffs in the first and second round in 2023 and 2024, respectively, leading some to think that their core four has run its course.</p><p>But the Cavs front office believed in their core, and under the tutelage of head coach Kenny Atkinson, they have blossomed into an unstoppable team on both ends of the floor — with Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen leading the way.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell reveals where he and Darius Garland stand in NBA backcourt history

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-weaves-through-hornets-defense-insane-buzzer-beater');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell weaves through Hornets defense for insane buzzer-beater');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cavs-Donovan-Mitchell-weaves-through-Hornets-defense-for-insane-buzzer-beater.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell weaves through Hornets defense for insane buzzer-beater</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-07T17:53:27-08:00">March 7th, 5:53pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-07T17:53:48-08:00">March 7th, 5:53pm</time><address><a>Quinn Allen</a>Quinn Allen is a Senior Associate Editor for ClutchPoints and Cavs Nation.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-cavaliers-playoff-clinching-win-vs-heat-sparks-wild-reactions" rel="noopener">The Cleveland Cavaliers have become the first team to clinch a playoff spot</a>, doing so on Wednesday night with a victory over the Miami Heat. The Cavs were back in action on Friday against the lowly Charlotte Hornets and their best player showed his brilliance at the end of the first quarter.</p><p>With the clock winding down, Donovan Mitchell weaved through the Hornets’ defense for a nasty Shammgod followed by a <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1898174678923198497" rel="noopener">wild buzzer-beater</a>.</p><p>Take a look:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">DONOVAN MITCHELL FILTHY SHAMMGOD AT THE BUZZER 🔥</p><p> <a href="https://t.co/CXUkrOOpcQ">pic.twitter.com/CXUkrOOpcQ</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1898174678923198497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>What a play from Spida, who leads the Cavs in 2024-25 with 24.4 PPG. While he’s the main option for the Eastern Conference leaders, there’s a reason they’re the top squad in the Association. Kenny Atkinson’s squad is deep.</p><p>Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are all having impressive campaigns as well, while <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cans-news-fans-react-deandre-hunter-trade-hawks" rel="noopener">the acquisition of De’Andre Hunter at the trade deadline</a> was huge for this team in the pursuit of a Larry O’Brien Trophy in the coming months.</p><p>Mitchell has been showing out lately, scoring 41, 28, and 26 points across his last three games. The Cavs have won a mind-boggling 12 contests in a row and will be looking to make in 13 in Charlotte. At the time of writing, Cleveland has a small lead as the third quarter slowly draws to a close.</p><p>The Cavs truly look like the real deal, but they will need to likely get through the Boston Celtics if a berth in the NBA Finals is going to become a reality. For what it’s worth, Atkinson’s group has already beaten the defending champions twice this season in four meetings, including an epic come-from-behind win on February 28 where they overcame a large first-quarter deficit.</p><p>After Friday’s matchup, the Cavs are back at it on Sunday to finish up their two-game road trip, this time against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell weaves through Hornets defense for insane buzzer-beater

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-donovan-mitchell-sends-blunt-warning-after-bulls-win');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell sends blunt warning after Bulls win');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Donovan-Mitchell-sends-blunt-warning-after-Bulls-win.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell sends blunt warning after Bulls win</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-05T08:51:42-08:00">March 5th, 8:51am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-05T09:09:21-08:00">March 5th, 9:09am</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After defeating the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ winning streak may have stretched to 11 games. However,  there was no jubilation in the visitor’s locker room at United Center. No high-fives, no celebratory speeches. Instead, it was an understanding that, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&amp;q=cavs+bulls+final+sore#sie=m;/g/11w7nvkqm0;3;/m/05jvx;dt;fp;1;;;" rel="noopener">despite the winning</a>, things are less than perfect for the Cavs.</p><p>The scoreboard said 139-117, but that final tally was deceptive. The Cavs had once again found themselves clawing out of a hole, this time against a battered <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-without-superstar-on-the-road-against-bulls">Bulls team missing six key contributors</a>. Down by 15 at one point, forced to summon another late-game surge, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-evan-mobley-make-nba-history">Cavs were playing with fire</a>. And they knew it.</p><p>“Unacceptable,” Donovan Mitchell bluntly said. “We have to stop doing that. We are a talented team and we are winning these games. But at some point it’s going to come back to bite us in the butt. We have to come out sharper. We have to come out and set the tone. Those things can’t happen.”</p><p>The troubling pattern is impossible to ignore.  Recently, the Boston Celtics buried Cleveland in an early 25-3 deficit before the Cavs stormed back to steal a win in Boston. At home, against a scrappy Portland Trail Blazers squad, the story was the same—trailing by 18, down at halftime, only to recover just in time. On the road in Chicago against the Bulls? Another rerun.</p><p>These slow starts aren’t an anomaly; they’re becoming part of the team’s DNA. And not in a good way.</p><p>“It’s definitely a bad habit. We all know it is,” Jarrett Allen said. “We have these slow starts that we need to get rid of. When we start playing teams that are going to be in the playoffs, they are going to attack us early and we can’t always go down first and have to fight back. Makes it so much harder. But the thing about this team, we will develop a bad habit and we will change it in a couple of games. I’m not worried.”</p><p>Allen has a point. The Cavs have already shown an ability to correct bad habits. When head coach Kenny Atkinson challenged their slipping defense last month, they responded, climbing into the league’s top three in defensive rating over the last 15 games. When rebounding became an issue, they tightened up and cracked the top five in boards since late January.</p><p>Now, the next challenge is clear: show up from the opening tip, not just in crunch time.</p><h2><b>Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs showed reason for concern against the Bulls</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Donovan-Mitchell-dunks-Cavs-Bulls.jpg"><figcaption>Matt Marton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>For three quarters against Chicago, the Cavs sputtered. They missed 13 of their first 15 threes and mustered only 24 first-quarter points. They trailed at halftime. Again. The difference? A seven-minute explosion in the fourth quarter that turned a tight game into a rout. A 32-10 run, a dominant 43-23 final period—it looked great in the box score, but the players knew it never should have been that close.</p><p>“We have to be careful,” Atkinson admitted. “This league is too hard. We had a great fourth quarter, but for three quarters we were sleepwalking. If you play with your food too much … for a team with the best record in the league, that’s not our identity.”</p><p>These habits are dangerous for Cleveland because the competition only gets tougher from here. The Cavs have the best record in the East. They’re closing in on the No. 1 seed. But in a seven-game series, against a battle-tested opponent, they won’t have the luxury of waiting until the fourth quarter to flip the switch.</p><p>“We weren’t playing our type of basketball,” Allen added. “It just clicked at the end.”</p><p>The numbers are historic—the longest active win streak in the league, a 51-10 record, a franchise-record 16 wins by 20 or more points. But the Cavs aren’t satisfied with regular-season dominance. They have bigger aspirations. And to achieve them, they can’t afford to keep digging these early holes.</p><p>For now, they’re getting away with it. But as the postseason looms, they know their margin for error is shrinking fast.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell sends blunt warning after Bulls win

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-evan-mobley-make-nba-history');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs stars Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley make NBA history during dominant stretch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cavs-news-Cleveland-stars-Donovan-Mitchell-Evan-Mobley-make-NBA-history-during-dominant-stretch.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs stars Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley make NBA history during dominant stretch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-04T18:41:05-08:00">March 4th, 6:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-04T18:41:05-08:00">March 4th, 6:41pm</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Cleveland Cavaliers are surging and their stars are making history. Donovan Mitchell has been named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February, the third time he’s earned the honor in his career and the second Eastern Conference honors since arriving in Cleveland. Meanwhile, Cavs big man Evan Mobley is staking his claim as the league’s premier defender. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-evan-mobley-bold-claim-defensive-player-of-the-year">Mobley became the first player in NBA history</a> to win multiple Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month awards, a milestone that puts him in <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/monthly-nba-awards-february-2025" rel="noopener">rare company among all-time greats</a>.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cavs-news-cleveland-championship-contenders-win-celtics">Cavs were nearly unstoppable in February</a>. They finished the month with a dominant 10-1 record as they hold at the top of the Eastern Conference. At the heart of that success is Mitchell, who averaged 25.8 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.2 rebounds in just 30.5 minutes per game.</p><p>Mitchell’s efficiency was off the charts. In February, he shot 49.8% from the field and 38.1% from three on high volume. Mitchell’s ability to take over games was on full display. He punctuated his stellar month with a 41-point masterpiece against the East-leading Boston Celtics, reminding the league that when the lights shine brightest, he’s more than ready to deliver.</p><p>Mitchell’s dominance hasn’t always been the biggest storyline in Cleveland this season, but that’s a testament to just how deep and talented this Cavs team has become. Darius Garland is rounding back into All-Star form, Jarrett Allen continues to be a force inside, and Ty Jerome has emerged as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. But while the supporting cast has been exceptional, it’s Mitchell’s superstar presence that has propelled Cleveland into true contender status.</p><h2><b>Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley were dominant for the Cavs in February</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Donovan-Mitchell-and-Evan-Mobley-celebrate-Cavs.jpg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>And then there’s Evan Mobley, a defensive anchor unlike any other in the NBA today. The 22-year-old big man has now claimed two of the last three Defensive Player of the Month awards (December and February), making a statement that he’s not just one of the best defenders in the league, he might be the absolute best.</p><p>Mobley’s combination of length, agility, and basketball IQ allows him to shut down elite scorers, protect the rim, and switch onto perimeter threats with ease. With his latest honor, he’s emerging as the clear frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year, a feat that would put him in the company of Cavs legends like LeBron James and Mark Price as one of the youngest players to ever win a major NBA award.</p><p>Cleveland’s dynamic duo is proving to be the perfect balance of offense and defense. Mitchell is the electric scorer capable of taking over any game. While Mobley is the dominant defender who can single-handedly alter an opponent’s entire game plan. Together, they are shaping the Cavs into a team that can compete with anyone, anywhere.</p><p>At 50-11, Cleveland is chasing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Their combination of firepower and defensive prowess makes them a nightmare matchup come playoff time. The pieces are all in place for something special. What makes it even more special is that it all starts with Mitchell and Mobley leading the way.</p><p>Meanwhile, out West, LeBron James continues to defy time, taking home Western Conference Player of the Month honors for the Los Angeles Lakers. As he nears an unfathomable 50,000 career points, his legacy only grows stronger. However, there will never be another LeBron — so don’t take these moments for granted.</p><p>But in Cleveland, LeBron James is in the past. Instead, the future is now. The Cavs aren’t just a great team. They’re building something special. With Mitchell and Mobley at the center of it all, this could be just the beginning.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs stars Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley make NBA history during dominant stretch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-perfect-take-after-comeback-win-vs-celtics');   ga('set', 'title', 'Donovan Mitchell’s perfect take after Cavs’ comeback win vs Celtics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAVS-Nation-Cavs-news-Donovan-Mitchells-perfect-take-after-comeback-win-vs-Celtics.jpg"></figure><h1>Donovan Mitchell’s perfect take after Cavs’ comeback win vs Celtics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-28T20:15:46-08:00">February 28th, 8:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-28T20:15:46-08:00">February 28th, 8:15pm</time><address><a>Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Throughout the 2024-25 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have looked like they’re a cut above the rest of the Eastern Conference, vindicating the front office’s decision to keep the team’s core four for the foreseeable future. But as good as they’ve been in the regular season, the ultimate goal for the <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-donovan-mitchell-bold-championship-take-ahead-2024-25-season">Cavs is to win a championship</a>. And what better way for them to gauge where they are in terms of achieving that goal of theirs than to face the reigning champion Boston Celtics in a matchup on Friday night?</p><p>It was worrying that the Cavs came out of the gates with such lethargy that they fell behind by 22 points, 25-3, in the first quarter. But if there was ever a time to fall behind by such a huge deficit, it’s early on in the game. Behind a stellar night from Donovan Mitchell, who scored 41 points, the Cavs mounted a furious comeback to take a 123-116 victory away from home.</p><p>While regular-season results rarely matter in the grand scheme of the playoffs, this result is doing wonders for the Cavs’ confidence, as evidenced by Mitchell’s <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1895673465761644680" rel="noopener">remarks following the game</a>.</p><p>“We’ve done a lot of really good things this season. But I keep telling my guys, we haven’t done anything. All the hype, the 15-0, we haven’t done anything yet. These guys [Celtics], this is our measuring stick. We want to continue to get to where they’re at,” Mitchell said in his postgame interview, via the official NBA account on X (formerly Twitter).</p><p>https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1895673465761644680</p><h2><b>Cavs flex team effort against Celtics’ star power</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Cavs-guard-Donovan-Mitchell-points-to-teammate.jpg"><figcaption>© Winslow Townson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While the Cavs definitely saw some star power on the night with Donovan Mitchell’s incredible performance in Boston, Cleveland simply got a deeper and more well-rounded effort from the rest of the roster than Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown did.</p><p>What makes this Cavs team seem different from previous iterations is that they have so much depth to weather lackluster efforts from starters. Just to put things in perspective, <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-insider-makes-ty-jerome-contract-offer-prediction-6moy-buzz">Ty Jerome was a plus-34 on the night</a>.</p><p>But even with the Cavs moving to 49-10 on the year, Mitchell knows that they cannot rest on their laurels. As the leader of the locker room, Mitchell, of all people, would know that regular-season excellence doesn’t necessarily translate to postseason success.</p><p>Back in 2021, his Utah Jazz had the best record in the NBA, only for them to falter in the second round. The daily process of working towards the ultimate goal is what matters the most to Mitchell, and this win for the Cavs is a sign that they’re on the right track.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
24.0	4.5	4.9	0.2	1.3

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
24.0	4.5	4.9	0.2	1.3

Donovan Mitchell news

Donovan
Mitchell news