Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (45) directs his workforce as Memphis Grizzlies’ GG Jackson (45) stands by throughout the first half of an NBA basketball sport in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 10, 2024. (AP Photograph/Phil Lengthy)
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Donovan Mitchell understands what’s at stake — all of it.
Within the weeks forward, his status, his stature among the many NBA’s stars, perhaps even his future with Cleveland, is on the road.
An uneven season stuffed with twists, turns and injurie s for the Cavs has returned Mitchell to the playoffs, the place he shall be judged.
There’s weight and stress. Nothing new.
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“Comes with the territory,” Mitchell mentioned.
After being s lowed by a left knee harm because the All-Star break, Mitchell proclaimed himself as “one hundred pc” and “able to go” because the Cavs practiced Wednesday in preparation of their first-round matchup towards the Orlando Magic.
The perfect-of-seven sequence opens Saturday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Sport 2 is April 22.
Mitchell has solely performed in 10 of a doable 26 video games since March 1 because of the sore knee, which was handled with a platelet-rich plasma injection adopted by prolonged relaxation and cautious monitoring by the Cavs.
For weeks, Mitchell didn’t look something like himself. His regular burst was gone and he lacked his common change of path, weapons he applies to separate from the league’s prime guard defenders.
READ: NBA: Donovan Mitchell returns, Cavaliers torch Pelicans
There was concern he was extra severely injured, however Mitchell, who additionally performed a number of video games sporting a masks to guard his damaged nostril, discovered his gear final week with a 33-point night time towards Indiana.
It was his first 30-plus-point efficiency since Feb. 27, and it appeared to convey him and the Cavs some consolation.
The added relaxation this week has helped as nicely.
“It’s a blessing for certain,” he mentioned. “However mentally I’m able to play.”
Now simply days away, the playoff opener is a sport Mitchell and most of his teammates have been ready to play for a yr.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (45) and Darius Garland (10) speak close to the top of the second half of an NBA basketball sport towards the Indiana Pacers in Cleveland, Friday, April 12, 2024. (AP Photograph/Phil Lengthy)
Mitchell’s first postseason journey with Cleveland was a calamity. The New York Knicks, his hometown workforce and the one with whom he continues to be linked, bullied the Cavs in a five-game beatdown that left marks on Mitchell and the Cavs.
Regardless of averaging 27.8 factors in 44 profession playoff video games, Mitchell has by no means gotten previous the second spherical in 5 appearances with Utah and one with Cleveland. Honest or not, the can’t-win-the-big-one stigma shadows him.
He’s by no means shied away from the criticism. Mitchell is aware of there’s just one solution to change the narrative — win. He’s Cleveland’s unquestioned chief, the go-to man, the one requested to hold the load.
Mitchell wouldn’t have it every other method.
“That’s simply anticipated of me,” he mentioned. “That’s who I’m to myself, who everyone’s anticipating me to be. However on the finish of the day, I set my very own private objectives and that is considered one of them. It simply occurs to align with everyone else’s expectations, too.
“I imply, I put that on me, and I’m not nervous about that. I prepped for these moments. My teammates consider in me, and I consider in myself. Now I can sit right here and say about that is all I need, however I bought to go on the market and do it.”
The Cavs consider they’re higher ready for these playoffs. Whereas final yr’s postseason was painful, the early exit offered beneficial studying instruments they intend to make use of this time.
They’ve additionally been hardened by an assortment of bumps and bruises. In mid-December, accidents to Darius Garland and Evan Mobley — the duo missed six weeks — threatened to derail the Cavs earlier than 2024 began.
Nonetheless, they persevered and spent a lot of the season contending for the No. 2 spot within the NBA Japanese Convention earlier than a late slide dropped them to No. 4.
The playoffs had been all the time a purpose. Not the final one.
“Being right here is the naked minimal for this group,” Mitchell mentioned. “That is who we’re on the lowest. All of us anticipated that. We don’t get guys like Max Strus and Georges Niang to register free company, Tristan Thompson, Marcus Morris, in the event that they don’t consider that we are able to do one thing.
“All of us consider in ourselves. We all the time have a chip on our shoulder no matter whether or not it’s the No. 1 seed, the No. 10 seed, no matter. That is the place we anticipated to be and now we’ve bought to go on the market and deal with enterprise.”
Because the Cavs get able to face the young-and-dangerous Magic, Mitchell’s subsequent transfer hangs over Cleveland’s franchise.
He’s eligible to signal a contract extension with the Cavs this summer time. So far, Mitchell has been non-committal whereas leaving his choices open. It doesn’t make sense for him to be pinned down.
For now, the 27-year-old’s sole focus is on what lies forward within the subsequent sequence, and hopefully one other after that.
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“We’re in good condition,” he mentioned. “We’re able to go.”
