Donovan Mitchell has been a name synonymous with the NBA playoffs throughout his career since he was drafted in 2017. Every season since 2017-18, the team Mitchell has been on has qualified for the NBA playoffs, be it the Utah Jazz or the Cleveland Cavaliers. Unfortunately, he has never tasted glory and won a championship.
However, this season, he feels he could go all the way with the Cavaliers after all he learned from his experience and finally having a completely healthy roster to play with.
In a conversation with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Donovan Mitchell spoke about the lessons he learned from the past and the exact moment he knew the Cavaliers were special this season.
When asked about the Cavaliers’ struggle last season with injuries, which forced a second-round exit, Mitchell confessed that he re-signed with the team only because he knew this team was special. But he knew it would take time for them to reach that level (of being the No. 1 seed in the East). Then he stated the example of the Boston Celtics for how team success is not achieved instantly.
“It took Boston seven or eight years to win a championship. They’ve been with those guys, plug and play different guys, and whatnot. So, it takes time.”
“Obviously, Evan, being who he has become, is still pushing him to get better. DG [Garland] is back to form. Obviously, Max [Strus] been phenomenal. Ken [Atkinson] has been great. Myself, I’m trying to find ways to be the best leader I can be for the group. I envision us being this type of talent… I’m very happy that we’re here, but don’t squander this opportunity. Let’s continue to get better and continue to not be satisfied with what we’re doing,” he further added.
When asked about the exact moment he knew the Cavaliers would be special this season, he recalled a Warriors game in the regular season that started the emphatic run for the Cavaliers in the West.
“I want to say the Golden State game at home (136-117 win on Nov. 8, 2024). When we beat Golden State at home after being up 40… And then the West road trip going 4-0. Denver, Golden State, [Los Angeles] Lakers, Dallas. We beat Denver. We’re handling business. It’s close games. It’s blowouts. It’s so many different ways to win. It’s come-from-behind. That’s when I was like, ‘Okay, we got something special for sure, ‘ he said.
Where Do Donovan Mitchell And The Cavaliers Stand Now In The NBA Playoffs?
The Cavaliers finished the 2025 NBA regular season as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record and matched up with the Miami Heat in the first round of the Playoffs.
They dismantled the Heat in the first game and won by 21 points (100-121) when Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 30 points. Meanwhile, the standard No. 2 option on the Cavaliers’ offense, Darius Garland, also contributed with 27 points. However, the X-factor performance came from Ty Jerome off the bench, who scored 28 points with utmost efficiency. He shot 66.7% from the field (10 of 15), including 62.5% from beyond the arc (5 of 8).
There is no doubt that Donovan Mitchell brings a tremendous amount of playoff experience with him to lead the Cavaliers. However, as Mitchell highlighted above as well, he needs the other players on the team to contribute significantly as well if the team is to go all the way to the Finals and win it all.
In Game 1, Ty Jerome was the X-factor. Can he repeat the same consistency going forward in the series? Or will someone else step up like Evan Mobley or Max Strus? Let us know what you think in the comments.
