The Cleveland Cavaliers are one loss away from elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals, and after Saturday night’s 121-108 defeat to the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena, Donovan Mitchell did not search for excuses.
Instead, the Cavaliers star pointed directly at execution after Cleveland fell behind 3-0 in the series and watched New York move within one win of its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
“Let’s start with making some shots,” Mitchell said when asked what it will take to finally beat the Knicks. “Let’s start with getting some stops and making some free throws.”
The numbers backed up his frustration. Cleveland shot 50% from the field but struggled from distance, going 12-for-41 from three-point range and 12-for-19 at the foul line. Mitchell finished with 23 points on 9-for-21 shooting, while Evan Mobley scored 24 and James Harden added 19.
New York, meanwhile, continued its dominant postseason run. Jalen Brunson scored 30 points, Mikal Bridges added 22 and OG Anunoby chipped in 21 as the Knicks shot 55.8% from the floor and controlled the game from start to finish.
Mitchell repeatedly returned to Cleveland’s shooting slump as a defining issue in the series.
“Sometimes the ball just doesn’t go in,” he said. “We’re getting good looks. Sometimes it just doesn’t go in.”
He also acknowledged how those misses have created problems defensively, particularly against a Knicks team thriving in transition.
“Give them credit,” Mitchell said. “They took those misses and got out in transition. Even off makes they got out in transition. So it wasn’t just our half-court defense.”
The Cavaliers committed 17 turnovers in Game 3, including five each from Mitchell, Mobley and Harden. Mitchell said New York’s defensive activity has disrupted Cleveland’s decision-making.
“They’re just being active,” he said. “They got in the gaps. Some of it we just made dumb passes. So it wasn’t all them. Sometimes it was on us too.”
The Knicks’ length, particularly from Bridges and Anunoby, has also altered passing windows and timing.
“They have length,” Mitchell explained. “Those passes that seem there, they’re active. It may look like it’s there and then they get it. Changes your pass. Instead of throwing a direct chest pass, maybe you got to grab it out here. Now the shot’s different.”
As the final seconds ticked away Saturday, chants of “Knicks in four” echoed inside Rocket Arena. Mitchell, a New York native, said the moment was unsurprising and did not reflect on Cleveland’s fan support.
“I’m from New York. This doesn’t shock me,” Mitchell said. “Knicks fans are like that. I was one back in the day.”
He quickly defended Cleveland supporters.
“Cleveland’s best fans in the world. I stand on that,” Mitchell said. “We didn’t get it done for our home tonight. We didn’t do our part.”
Fatigue has been discussed after Cleveland played consecutive seven-game series against Toronto and Detroit before facing New York, but Mitchell rejected that explanation.
“We did it to ourselves,” he said. “So we can’t be mad now.”
Mitchell pointed back to Game 1, when Cleveland lost after leading by 22 points at Madison Square Garden.
“Don’t lose game one after being up 22,” he said. “It changes the entire dynamic of the series.”
Still, Mitchell insisted the Cavaliers do not feel overmatched.
“No, not at all,” he said. “We have an opportunity on Monday to get Game 4 and then go from there.”
