After dropping Game 1 in a 111-101 rout, the Cavaliers‘ best chance at picking up momentum in this second-round series is in tonight’s showdown. With the Pistons at home and coming off four straight playoff wins, the odds for victory will be stacked in their favor, but Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is not feeling any more pressure than usual.
In fact, before tip-off on Thursday, he assured the NBA media that he’s not rattled by the moment. He was quick to remind reporters that he’s been in this position before, and that there are much bigger things in life for him to worry about than the upcoming playoff game. Still, he also acknowledged that anything short of total victory will be considered a failure. Now more than ever, there are no excuses for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I’ve been here before, the pressure’s really not — I don’t really feel it,” Mitchell told ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “This isn’t pressure. Getting your next meal is pressure. Where am I going to live? You know, that’s pressure. This is an opportunity. This is fun. At least I know we put our best foot forward regardless of the result. In years past, some s— just didn’t go my way. Now I’m like: We made the moves. We’ve done the talk. Now, just continue to walk the walk.”
The Cavaliers have been among the best regular-season teams for years, dating back to 2023-24, when they finished fourth in the East (48-34). Their peak came in 2024-25, when they finished first in the standings with a 64-18 record. For all their success, however, the Cavaliers have yet to advance past the Semifinals since LeBron James’s departure in 2017-18.
That’s why the Cavaliers traded for James Harden mid-season, and it’s why they have since doubled down on their win-now timeline. Together with Mitchell, Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers were prepared to challenge the Pistons, Knicks, and Celtics for Eastern Conference supremacy, but the road has not been easy.
It took seven games for them to advance past the Toronto Raptors, a team many felt was inferior. Then, in Game 1 against the Pistons, the Cavaliers were outplayed from the opening tip (111-101), setting a powerful tone early that could linger for the rest of the series. After the game, the frustration on Cleveland’s side was palpable, but the only thing that matters will be how they respond tonight.
For Mitchell’s part, he’ll have to play better than he did on Tuesday for the Cavaliers to steal this game on the road. In 35 minutes, he finished with 23 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and zero blocks on 47.4% shooting (4-10 shooting from three). The Pistons’ aggression and physicality were clearly disrupting his game, essentially holding the Cavs’ entire offense in check.
After so many playoff failures already (dating back to his time with the Utah Jazz), this isn’t a new experience for Mitchell, and you have to figure that he’s due for a breakout moment. Tonight has the conditions that could create that moment, but it would only be just the start of the road to victory. In Cleveland, there’s still a long way to go, and Mitchell (like the rest of his teammates) knows how important it is not to get too swept up in the gravity of the situation.
