NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Donovan Mitchell insists he is feeling good. Actually even better than that.
He had better be, or the Cleveland Cavaliers are in trouble.
Questions about Mitchell’s health persisted after he and his teammates on Thursday night. They’re down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, and Mitchell twice this week has been asked if he’s playing through any sort of injury.
鈥淚鈥檓 great,鈥� he said. 鈥淕reat. Great.鈥�
It’s the same word Cleveland’s leading scorer used after Game 1, when he scuffled down the stretch as part of a to a crushing loss. In Game 2, Mitchell at least showed some signs of progress.
At halftime, coach Kenny Atkinson agreed with the idea that Mitchell was lacking the usual burst on his lift. After scoring just seven points in the first half, Mitchell had 19 in the second to finish with 26.
鈥淎fter halftime, I thought he was moving well.,鈥� Atkinson said. 鈥淒onovan, he鈥檚 not complaining about it to me. I did see him trying to work through it 鈥� probably some stiffness. But I asked him if he wanted to come out in the fourth quarter and he鈥檚 like, 鈥業鈥檓 fine,鈥� so I think he鈥檚 fine.鈥�
The deficit is not fine and dandy for the Cavaliers, though it is one they are accustomed to overcoming. They trailed Detroit by this same margin last round before in seven games.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 our first time at it,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 our first time facing adversity. We鈥檝e been through two Game 7s, so being down 2-0 is not the biggest challenge.鈥�
There are plenty of big challenges in the East finals, including how to slow down New York’s one-two punch of Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart and not let either take over. Then add in self-inflicted issues, like Cleveland getting to the free-throw line 32 times but missing 10 of those attempts in a game that got closer at times than the final 109-93 score indicates.
The Cavs made just 37% of their shots from the floor, too, and were 9 of 35 from 3-point range. That’s not exactly a winning recipe in the playoffs or any time.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 a great shooting night,鈥� Atkinson said. 鈥淎t the end of the day, you鈥檝e got to put the ball in the hole. Tonight, we didn鈥檛.鈥�
Game 3 on Saturday night will be Cleveland’s seventh over a 13-day period, facing an opponent that swept through last round and has what Atkinson calls a 鈥渕assive rest advantage.鈥� Center Jarrett Allen acknowledged fatigue may be playing a role but didn’t want to use it as an excuse for falling behind in the series.
Mitchell is having none of that talk whatsoever.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not tired,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not tired. We鈥檙e ready to go for Game 3.鈥�
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