The Cleveland Cavaliers failed to close out the Toronto Raptors in Game 6 of their first-round series on Friday, losing 112-110 in overtime at Scotiabank Arena on a miraculous game-winner from RJ Barrett. While the Cavaliers now finding themselves in a do-or-die Game 7 is bad enough, it appears Evan Mobley might have some explaining to do to Donovan Mitchell.
ESPN Cleveland pointed out that Mobley’s mother, Nicol, had reposted a tweet about how Mitchell’s style of play isn’t a recipe for success.
Evan Mobley’s mom Nicol’s latest RT about Donovan Mitchell 👀👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/9mEGix4u41
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 2, 2026
She appears to have removed it now, but it was too late. What goes on the internet stays on the internet. It’s hard to call this a misclick as well, considering she did it hours after it was posted.
As for the hot take, here is what former Cavalier Channing Frye had to say about Mitchell on his Road Trippin’ Show.
“Donovan Mitchell is a great player,” Frye said. “I don’t think how Donovan Mitchell plays basketball is a recipe for success. So, him taking a backseat in this series, I think is absolutely necessary… When has [Mitchell] shown you he can win past the second round?”
“The way he plays basketball does not equal success,” Frye stated. “… Throw it to Evan Mobley, get your big man involved.”
For all his brilliance on the court, Mitchell hasn’t gotten to the Conference Finals in either the West or the East. The seven-time All-Star only made it as far as the Conference Semifinals during his five seasons with the Utah Jazz, and it’s been the same story with the Cavaliers so far.
Frye thinks Mitchell needs to take a backseat and throw the ball to Mobley, and the big man’s mother unsurprisingly agrees. The 29-year-old had a 31.1% usage rate in the regular season, which ranked eighth among players who had played at least 500 minutes. The rate has dropped to 29.6% in the playoffs, but that’s still ninth among players who have logged at least 100 minutes.
Mitchell is unlikely to change his ways regardless of the complaining. He was rather quiet offensively in the first half of this game against the Raptors, though.
Mitchell had seven points on 3-7 shooting from the field at halftime. Mobley actually led the Cavaliers with 11 points, but they still trailed 61-51 at the break.
The Raptors would go up by as many as 15 points in the second half and entered the fourth quarter with an 11-point lead. It looked like they might cruise to victory, but Mitchell then woke up. He had 11 points in the fourth quarter to lead a comeback. Mobley had nine in the period as well, and he made a layup with 11.6 seconds left in regulation that ended up sending this game to overtime.
Then, in overtime, Mitchell scored with a layup with 33.7 seconds remaining to put the Cavaliers up 110-108. Raptors guard Jamal Shead was fouled on the next possession with 25.6 seconds remaining, but could only make one of two free throws.
That put the Cavaliers in the driver’s seat, but they blew the game. The Raptors looked to force a turnover by pressuring Dennis Schroder, and he threw the ball to Mobley as he was running out of bounds. The big man managed to grab it, but rookie Collin Murray-Boyles then poked it out of bounds.
The officials deemed Mobley had touched it last, giving the Raptors the ball back. The Cavaliers couldn’t challenge the call and then watched in horror as Barrett’s three-pointer on the next play bounced high above the backboard and dropped in.
RJ BARRETT INSANE GAME-WINNER TO FORCE GAME 7 OMG 😱🚨
WHAT. A. SHOT. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/jKpkqPW6y3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 2, 2026
That’s just like Tyrese Haliburton’s incredible game-tying shot in Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. The Pacers would end up winning that series, and Barrett would be hoping the Raptors do as well.
The Cavaliers had time for one more shot, but Mobley’s potential game-winner was off the mark. While you wouldn’t be critical of him for missing, you could be for not holding on to the ball, but Mitchell didn’t do it. These two actually held a joint postgame press conference, and he praised Mobley, who put up 26 points (9-15 FG), 14 rebounds, three assists, and one steal, for his play.
“We did a lot of positive things,” Mitchell said, via the Cavaliers. “Lot of positive things. This man to my right’s been phenomenal. That doesn’t go away because the ball went in the hoop. If that ball bounces up, we’re having a whole different conversation, right?”
You wonder how Mitchell, who finished with 24 points (11-26 FG), five rebounds, two assists, and one block, would feel if he learned of Mobley’s mother’s activity on social media. This is definitely not the kind of drama you want to deal with before a Game 7.
The Cavaliers are still the favorites, but anything can happen in a one-off game.
