The Cleveland Cavaliers needed a hero on Wednesday night.
Fortunately for them, Donovan Mitchell was there to take care of business.
Mitchell entered the fourth quarter with just 13 points.
Then, he scored 17 of his team’s 28 points in the final twelve minutes to secure a nine-point win.
That’s why, following the game, coach Kenny Atkinson tipped his hat to his leading scorer:
“Helps when you got Donovan Mitchell,” Atkinson said. “Those are one of those ‘superstar takes over’ game situations. Really big time, big time shots, and pretty good shots, too, for him.”
One of those "superstar takes over" kinda games. @spidadmitchell | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/9JxnHwsRU7
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) April 24, 2025
Mitchell scored all but one field goal for the team in the final period, with a Darius Garland tip-in as the only other bucket.
Going iso-heavy rarely works in a seven-game series, but you need to have bucket-getters who can create their own shots and help unleash the offense when it gets stagnant.
The Cavs made it this far because of the collective, and they didn’t need anybody to take over game in and game out.
Anybody could be a hero on any given night, and it helps all their players, including their role players, develop confidence and get into a rhythm for the playoffs.
Still, sometimes, as much as depth and strategy matter, it will all come down to talent.
Every single team needs a featured go-to-guy to give the ball to when things get tricky.
Donovan Mitchell might not be a clear-cut superstar or even the most talented player on the team, but he’s by far the Cavs’ most versatile and dynamic scorer.
The Cavs will now travel to South Beach with a 2-0 series lead, and hopefully, Mitchell will continue to build from that impressive performance.
NEXT: Insider Reveals 2 Reasons Why Cavs Won Game 2 Against Heat
