Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell sends strong message to his teammates following Game 3 win over Pacers
The Cleveland Cavaliers had no choice but to bounce back on Friday night, trailing 0-2 in the series against the Indiana Pacers. And that’s exactly what they did, earning a 126-104 road win to cut the series deficit to 1-2. Donovan Mitchell once again led the charge for the Cavs, scoring 43 points. Cleveland also […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers had no choice but to bounce back on Friday night, trailing 0-2 in the series against the Indiana Pacers.
And that’s exactly what they did, earning a 126-104 road win to cut the series deficit to 1-2. Donovan Mitchell once again led the charge for the Cavs, scoring 43 points.
Cleveland also welcomed back PF Evan Mobley, PG Darius Garland, and SF De’Andre Hunter, all of whom returned to the court for the Game 3 win in Indiana.
Donovan Mitchell wants to see this momentum continue into Game 4.
After falling behind 0-2, the Cavaliers knew they needed to get a win in Indiana to keep their playoff hopes alive. A 3-0 deficit would’ve been virtually insurmountable, and even 3-1 is an uphill battle. Mitchell is aiming for a 2-0 weekend sweep against the Pacers and says the pressure doesn’t go away any after this win.
“No. We’ve got a job to do. We can’t relax. We have to keep our foot on the throttle,” Mitchell said after the game.
Mitchell now has back-to-back 40-point games in the series, after scoring 48 in the Game 2 loss. Mobley contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds in his return from a sprained ankle. Garland, however, struggled—shooting just 3-of-11 for 10 points in 24 minutes. Head coach Kenny Atkinson confirmed after the game that Garland is playing through injuries.
Cleveland faces Indiana again on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET in what is essentially a must-win game. Even Mitchell agrees. If the Cavs can bring the series back to Cleveland tied 2-2, they’ll be in a strong position moving forward.
