Donovan Mitchell can’t believe Cavs’ exit – ‘Let city down’

CLEVELAND — A couple of minutes after the ultimate buzzer sounded and with the mud simply starting to choose a 64-win season for the Cleveland Cavaliers that didn’t produce even a convention finals look, Donovan Mitchell returned to the sideline and took a seat on the bench.

He held his cellphone in his arms, however he wasn’t taking a look at it. As an alternative, he sat together with his lip pursued, his gaze unfixed and his expression unchanging.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” Mitchell mentioned following the Cavs’ season-ending 114-105 loss in Recreation 5 on Tuesday night time. “Didn’t want to believe it. Don’t want to believe it. Still don’t want to believe it.”

The Cavaliers led the Japanese Convention all season, beginning 15-0 and racking up three 10-game profitable streaks en path to ending with the second-best document in franchise historical past. But, they had been upset by the Indiana Pacers within the Japanese Convention semifinals in a 4-1 collection loss.

Indiana, after profitable all three collection video games in Cleveland, will face the Boston Celtics or New York Knicks within the Japanese Convention finals. The Cavs hadn’t misplaced consecutive house video games at any level this season and blew a 19-point first-half lead Tuesday.

“I love playing in that f—ing arena,” Mitchell mentioned. “That energy, that crowd. We were 0-3 at home, let the city down. This place is special. This place is really special and we didn’t get it done.”

The Cavaliers grew to become the fourth group in NBA historical past to win at the least 64 video games within the common season and never advance previous the second spherical, per ESPN Analysis.

Mitchell had been the Cavs’ finest offensive participant all collection, averaging 34.2 factors, 5.8 rebounds and three.8 assists, regardless of taking part in via a left ankle damage, which he aggravated at halftime in Recreation 4. Nonetheless, Mitchell gutted out a 35-point efficiency in Recreation 5 regardless of taking pictures 8-of-25 from the sector (4-of-13 on 3-pointers).

In his profession, Mitchell has averaged 28.3 factors within the playoffs, the seventh highest in NBA historical past. He has performed within the postseason in all eight seasons of his profession, ending on a group with one of the best document within the convention twice, however he nonetheless has by no means made it previous the second spherical.

“We’ve had a lot of positives,” Mitchell mentioned of his group. “But we didn’t capitalize. Now we’ve got to use this motivation. Everybody’s going to write us off.”

Accidents to a number of of the Cavs’ key rotation gamers modified the complexion of the collection.

Darius Garland sat out the primary two video games of the collection (and 4 playoff video games) due to a sprained left huge toe and returned to common 14.0 factors on 34% taking pictures (16.7% from 3) in three video games. Evan Mobley, the reigning Defensive Participant of the Yr, and De’Andre Hunter, the Cavs’ prized trade-deadline acquisition, each sat out Recreation 2 after being injured in Recreation 1. Mobley averaged 18.0 factors and 9.8 rebounds on 58% taking pictures, however he additionally scored solely 11 complete factors throughout three fourth quarters within the collection

“You just wish you were a whole, but I don’t think that’s an excuse,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson mentioned. “I don’t want to say ‘oh that’s the reason, that’s not the reason.’ They were the better team.”

Atkinson acknowledged some optimistic strides from the group this season, however he nonetheless famous how the Cavs struggled to match the Pacers’ physicality and depth all through the collection.

“I do feel like we got better,” Atkinson mentioned. “From the team aspect and then we had a lot of individuals make a step, so I just want to make that clear. But the truth of the matter is we didn’t get to the level we wanted to get to. So, I’m not pleased with that. And we’re not celebrating the season, if that all makes sense. But I do think we made strides. I think we took a jump.

“Now we acquired to determine this final piece, the way to recover from this hump. And I used to be fairly truthfully anticipating extra, particularly coming off the [first-round] Miami collection.”

Despite the disappointment of the loss, Mitchell agreed with the sentiment. He called Cleveland’s season a step in the right direction, even while sorting through the frustration of not advancing further. He doubled down on the Cavs’ core, saying “we’ll be again.”

“I will go to bat for each man in that locker room,” Mitchell said. “Profitable will not be straightforward. Some issues need to go proper. You bought to play nicely, acquired to capitalize on alternatives. … We’ve got a window with this group, I consider in all people in right here, we consider in one another. That is what sucks, we’re group. And for 5 video games … we did not present what we’re able to. And finally that is what we’re judged on.

“So get in the gym, weight room, nutrition, whatever it is, and get back at it. Because y’all are going to write us the f— off man. We’ll be back. Let the city down, let each other down. But we’ll be back.”