The Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing for their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the Indiana Pacers. Rick Carlisle’s team was an Eastern Conference Finalist last season.
As such, the Cavaliers have their work cut out for them. The Cavaliers are expected to win their series against Indiana. However, the Pacers’ postseason experience means they can’t be taken lightly. Donovan Mitchell recently broke down the approach his team must take if they’re going to overcome Tyrese Haliburton and Co.
“(Indiana’s) guys have been farther in the playoffs and whatnot,” Mitchell told The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “It’s the same mentality we had against Miami. Take care of home court. Take care of business on the road. Rebound. Extra possessions. Get back in transition. You know, stick to what you do and do it better for 48 minutes.”
The Pacers will be a far sterner test than what the Miami Heat posed. They play faster, are more talented, and have one of the best high-octane offenses in the NBA. Cleveland’s defensive structure will be put to the test. However, after dominating the regular season, the Cavaliers have put high expectations on their shoulders.
Mitchell Wants to Keep Building Momentum
Sweeping the Heat was a perfect start to the playoffs for Cleveland. They’re likely full of confidence and eager to get back on the court. Nevertheless, the postseason is full of twists and turns. It’s unlikely they move past the Pacers without taking a loss.
Still, Mitchell wants to see his team continue to build momentum, regardless of how difficult things get along the way.
“I’m not gonna say we’ve sat here and figured it out,” Mitchell told Vardon. “We gotta continue to do it against Indiana, and then the next round and the next round. I think winning the way we did in Game 2 (a close game) set the table for Games 3 and 4 (against Miami). It’s something I think we can carry over into this series.”
Keeping momentum going after a win is easy. We won’t know how capable this Cavaliers team is until we see how they respond to taking a loss, or even two. Part of winning a championship is dealing with, and overcoming adversity. A sweep, while impressive, doesn’t tell us how capable the roster is when it’s back is against the wall.
Cavaliers’ Mitchell Aims to Silence Critics
During a recent interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Mitchell was open and honest about how he intends to silence his critics and prove he can win at the highest levels.
‘Can I win at the highest level?’ That’s been the question for most of my career,” Mitchell said. “So, for me, that’s why you can’t squander these opportunities because that’s what puts you there. I said it [last] summer on the Melo [Carmelo Anthony] podcast, ‘I can use it as fuel, but I can’t get mad.’”
Mitchell continued.
“I’ve been to the conference finals. I can use it as fuel, but then you got to go out there and produce a win. To shut them [critics] up, you got to go out there and win. So that’s the main goal, and I will do it by any means necessary.”
If the Cavaliers defeat the Pacers and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals, it will be interesting to see how Mitchell deals with the pressure and expectations on his shoulders. For now, though, his focus must be on making it out of the second round. Only then can he begin to prove that he’s capable of leading a team on a deep postseason push toward a championship.
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