Cavs’ postseason fate is on Donovan Mitchell’s shoulders now

CLEVELAND — This is why he is here. It’s on him now. This is why the Cleveland Cavaliers surrendered three players and three unprotected draft picks to acquire Donovan Mitchell, for moments such as Sunday’s Game 7 in Detroit.

Mitchell has heard all the criticisms of not being able to get out of the second round. He had the perfect opportunity at home Friday night in Game 6 to close out the Pistons, to unburden himself from one of the largest stains left on his terrific career.

Instead, he delivered one of his worst performances of this postseason: 18 points on 6-of-20 shooting in the Cavs’ 115-94 loss. The Cavs were outscored by 25 points while he was on the floor, matching his second-worst plus/minus in a playoff game since arriving in Cleveland.

I wrote after last season’s series loss to the Indiana Pacers that it felt like Mitchell was farther ahead on his career trajectory than the rest of the younger roster. Mitchell has reached the point in his career where he is obsessed with winning. He has made his money. He has made enough All-Star teams and All-NBA teams that the only thing left to do is win. It felt last year like the rest of the Cavs’ roster hadn’t quite caught up to him in their growth.

That’s no longer the case. The trade to bring James Harden here addressed some of it. The growth of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen over this postseason seemed to narrow that gap as well.

It’s not a talent issue; the Cavs have the league’s highest payroll. It’s not a health issue, which is the excuse they could have used in the past. This appears to be the healthiest they’ve been for a postseason run during this era. It’s not a maturity issue. Harden is 36. Allen is 28. Mobley has played five full years now.

There are no more excuses. Mitchell has what he needs. It’s on him now to deliver.

“I can’t dwell on it,” Mitchell said. “I missed shots tonight. … I’ve been making them most every game of this series, and tonight I didn’t.”

That’s not entirely accurate. Mitchell hasn’t looked like himself for most of this postseason. If he isn’t hiding an injury, it’s otherwise difficult to explain. The Toronto Raptors threw unorthodox, junk defenses that he never really unraveled. Fine. But he hasn’t fared much better against the Pistons. 

Aside from his historic second-half eruption in Game 4, Mitchell is shooting 42 percent in this series and 26 percent from 3. He shot 36 percent from 3 during the regular season.

Mitchell is shooting more from midrange, primarily floaters, than he has in the recent past, and he’s making fewer of them. He has struggled getting to the rim at various points in this series, and he has struggled from 3 for most of it. That doesn’t leave much else.

Detroit’s Ausar Thompson was great at guarding Mitchell in Game 6. Thompson is long and athletic and causes matchup problems. The Pistons are well known for their physicality defensively as well. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson wants to get Mitchell easier looks in Game 7 by getting out and running in the open court. When it slows to a half-court game, the Pistons can set their defense, which leads to clutching, grabbing and holding that the officials aren’t calling.

Detroit’s physical style of defense is why Atkinson didn’t use a timeout at the end of regulation in Game 5. He didn’t want to give the Pistons a chance to set their half-court defense, which proved problematic again Friday in Game 6.

“That was a logjam tonight,” Atkinson said. “All of us, we had a tough time getting free. At the end of the day, that’s on us. This is how the game’s being called. We have to adjust to how the game is being called. … We have to find a way to play with more force offensively.”

The Cavs’ lack of urgency and sloppy ballhandling have let the Pistons drag this to a Game 7. It has been a terrific series, but the Cavs certainly appear to be the more talented team. The Pistons, however, are now 4-0 when facing elimination in these playoffs and have proved to be a tougher out than their youth would indicate.

Another huge Game 7 is looming for the Cavs on Sunday. Mitchell is due an extension this summer. Harden, who has a reputation for poor performances in Game 7s, is eyeing a new contract as well.

What becomes of Atkinson if the Cavs lose this series to his predecessor?

There’s a lot at stake for this franchise. There’s a lot at stake for Mitchell.

He has the help he needs. It’s all right in front of him. There’s only one thing left to do.

Win.