Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers eliminated the Toronto Raptors in their NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Sunday. The superstar guard led the way with 22 points on 9-for-20 shooting, along with three rebounds and two 3-pointers.
The No. 4-seeded time was pushed to a deciding game, but Mitchell showed a lot of grit and hustle in the 114-102 victory. Despite Cleveland leading by 20 with 9:18 left in the fourth quarter, the seven-time All-Star deflected a pass and dove into the third row as he tried to save the ball. Some fans and NBC analyst Reggie Miller helped him back up.
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NBA legend Carmelo Anthony poked fun at him during his postgame interview, jokingly saying that Mitchell only dove for attention.
Donovan Mitchell’s witty reaction
Mitchell had a good comeback for Anthony’s comments. The star shooting guard delivered a witty response and explained that it wasn’t just for show.
“Hey listen, I gotta do something, you know what I’m saying?” Mitchell said on “NBA Showtime.” “I gotta find a way. Scottie Barnes getting on transition the whole series. Gotta do something.”
The Cavaliers will only have one day to rest as they’ll return to action on Tuesday to start their second round series against Detroit. The Pistons also played in a Game 7 on Sunday and won against the Orlando Magic. Game 1 will start at 7 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena.
Cleveland needs Mitchell’s hustle, James Harden’s scoring on full display throughout the series to take down the East’s No. 1-seeded team.