The Cleveland Cavaliers are the true definition of a team.
However, the playoffs are a different animal.
You need stars to win in the playoffs, and while ISO-heavy offenses rarely get the job done in the postseason, you need to have a reliable bucket-getter who can get you out of trouble.
Fortunately for the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell was that guy in Game 2.
That’s why, per Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com, the former Utah Jazz combo guard was the main reason why they were able to pull the win off:
“The Cavs won this game for two primary reasons: They shot 49% (22 of 45) from 3-point range. When the offense was stagnant in the fourth quarter, Donovan Mitchell took over and scored 17 of the Cavs’ last 28 points. The only other Cavs to make a field goal in the fourth quarter was a tip-in by Darius Garland with 16 seconds left when the game was decided,” Pluto wrote.
Mitchell established himself as one of the most impressive playoff performers in the league when he first entered the NBA, but he has fallen short in the past couple of seasons, and people started doubting whether he had what it took to lead a team to the top.
The Cavs still have plenty of skeptics, even despite dominating their way through the regular season.
Even if the Miami Heat aren’t much of a powerhouse right now, it was still nice to see Mitchell being able to take matters into his own hands and put the team on his shoulders when it mattered the most.
The Cavs now hold a 2-0 lead as they hit the road for the next two games of the series, and they will need Mitchell to stay sharp to take care of business there.
NEXT: Donovan Mitchell Admits Cavs' Major Concern On Wednesday
