“Wants us to get over this hump” - Donovan Mitchell’s teammate reveals 5x All-Star’s mentality amid 18-point deficit in Game 7
Donovan Mitchell racked up 39 points, Caris LeVert contributed 15, as the Cleveland Cavaliers mounted an 18-point comeback to secure a 106-94 victory over the Orlando Magic in Sunday's Game 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
This win allowed them to move forward in the Eastern Conference playoffs and averted a potentially transformative loss for the franchise. Following the win, as per ESPN, guard Darius Garland raved about Mitchell's performance, saying:
"He's a competitor, he's a go-getter. He's a winner -- that's all he talks about. He wants us to get over this hump. He's going to do anything possible to get us over it."
Despite an early deficit, the Cavaliers kept their composure. Mitchell expressed relief that Orlando’s surge came early, providing Cleveland with ample time to respond. The Cavaliers' comeback in the latter stages of the first half was measured and tough.
At halftime, the consensus in the locker room was to stay level-headed. The shift came in the third quarter when the Cavaliers orchestrated their rally, ignited by Mitchell's 3-pointer.
Donovan Mitchell spearheads largest Game-7 comeback since 1997 vs Orlando Magic
Cleveland's comeback from 18 points down is the biggest in a Game 7 since at least 1997. The Magic held a lead of 47-29 with 5:10 remaining in the second quarter, but from that point on, the Cavaliers outscored them by 30 points.
Cleveland shot an impressive 57.0% from the field during this stretch, limiting Orlando to just 27% shooting.
Trailing by 10 at the break, Cleveland intensified its defense in the third quarter and outscored Orlando 33-15. The Magic struggled offensively, hitting just 4 of 24 shots in that quarter, and appeared tentative, seemingly waiting for Paolo Banchero to step up.
By the fourth quarter, the Cavs had built an 85-77 lead. Garland, who had shown signs of frustration earlier in the half before receiving encouragement from Mitchell on the bench, hit a corner three-pointer to extend Cleveland's lead to 11.
Following his successful shot and an Orlando timeout, an elated Garland embraced Donovan Mitchell, who was traded from Utah two years prior with the hope of bringing Cleveland nearer to another championship.
Cleveland continued to play without starting center Jarrett Allen, sidelined for the last three games of the series due to a painful rib injury caused by an accidental elbow from a Magic player.
Before his injury, Allen had been a stalwart for Cleveland against the Magic, securing 20 rebounds in Game 2 and bolstering the Cavs' defense under the basket, which helped to at least discourage Orlando's attempts to drive to the hoop.
Whenever the Cavaliers needed a big play, the 5x All-Star delivered. Mitchell was also there to support his teammates whenever they needed encouragement. Moreover, he amassed 89 points across the final two games.