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I think it’s the best two words in sports - Donovan Mitchell on “Game 7”.
Well, here we are. Cinco de Mayo. Game 7. Can the Cavs go 4-for-4 at home or will the younger and healthier Magic finally prevail? The last game here was a one-point Cavs’ win. No margin for error.
Do the Cavs have anything left?
[Jarrett] Allen, dealing with a rib injury, is questionable at best for Sunday. Evan Mobley played easily his worst game of the series in Game 6, and turned his ankle in the first half. Mitchell, once again, tweaked his left knee. And Caris LeVert played only seven minutes in Game 6. His left knee was wrapped in ice afterwards. He scored … checks notes … one point. - Joe Vardon
The big question will be if Evan Mobley can go and if he can, will his mobility and jumping be limited by a sprained ankle. He only scored three points in Game 6. If he’s hobbling on a bad ankle I think the Cavs are done.
How is Donovan Mitchell’s knee after playing 42 minutes on Friday? Will he be anything close to the force he was when scoring those 50 points?
[Jarrett Allen] is averaging 17 points and nearly 14 rebounds, and certainly has done nothing to lose his starting spot. Also, for what it’s worth, when Mobley returned from knee surgery in February, the Cavs immediately re-inserted him into the starting lineup. They’ve shown no appetite for making the incredibly difficult decision of playing one of their starting bigs off the bench to maintain the style of play on offense that is clearly best for the team this season.
And yet, Allen’s injury presents an opportunity to do just that. - Joe Vardon, The Athletic
The Cavs had easily their best offensive performance in the series Friday playing just one big at a time. Yet they only made 7-of-28 three pointers. After six games they’re shooting just 28.1% from deep.
Mitchell is hitting 25% of his 3’s, Strus 28%, LeVert 27%, Okoro 27%, Morris 21% and Niang 13%. Shocking, although the Magic’s length at every position makes it tough to get 3’s off. They had 6’10” center Jonathan Isaac guarding Garland to prevent him from shooting 3’s.
Mitchell on Friday was 3-for-9 on 3’s and 19-for-27 on 2’s. He continually got to the rim and converted the layup or floater. I expect him to try the same thing today and Orlando will have a plan to try and stop it.
This game could come down to whether Mitchell’s teammates can hit open 3’s after Donovan is doubled and forced to give up the ball. Darius Garland's performance will be huge. If it comes down to a close game in the 4th quarter he simply cannot start hemorrhaging turnovers and taking dumb shots.
Paolo Banchero is coming off a 39-point game and I expect he will come out firing. Mobley is the only Cavs’ player with the height and movement skills to slow him down. He and Franz Wagner seem to alternate having huge games.
That being said, the Magic are shooting 38% from the field and 25% on 3’s in Cleveland this series. The crowd will be extremely loud and that may affect the Magic’s shooting.
With Allen and Wade out and Mitchell not 100% it’s a miracle the Cavs are even here. Winning 48 games while Orlando won 47 in the regular season earned home court advantage for Game 7. It just goes to show the importance of every single game in that 82-game schedule. Letting one win on a Tuesday night in November slip away can cost you a playoff series.
I think Orlando is the better and healthier team and I won’t be surprised if they win this one. The Cavs are really banged up, their sixth man has disappeared, Niang can’t buy a bucket, Allen and Wade are out, and I don’t know if Donovan has anything left after those 42 minutes on Friday.
If the Cavs lose I will give thanks for an exciting season and a team that always played hard and was easy to root for. If they win it’s party time and at least four more Cavs games before we pack it in.
How do we find ways to continually be relentless? I have no doubt that will show up. I have no doubt Cleveland will show up. - Donovan Mitchell
Well, here we are. Cinco de Mayo. Game 7. Can the Cavs go 4-for-4 at home or will the younger and healthier Magic finally prevail? The last game here was a one-point Cavs’ win. No margin for error.
Do the Cavs have anything left?
[Jarrett] Allen, dealing with a rib injury, is questionable at best for Sunday. Evan Mobley played easily his worst game of the series in Game 6, and turned his ankle in the first half. Mitchell, once again, tweaked his left knee. And Caris LeVert played only seven minutes in Game 6. His left knee was wrapped in ice afterwards. He scored … checks notes … one point. - Joe Vardon
The big question will be if Evan Mobley can go and if he can, will his mobility and jumping be limited by a sprained ankle. He only scored three points in Game 6. If he’s hobbling on a bad ankle I think the Cavs are done.
How is Donovan Mitchell’s knee after playing 42 minutes on Friday? Will he be anything close to the force he was when scoring those 50 points?
[Jarrett Allen] is averaging 17 points and nearly 14 rebounds, and certainly has done nothing to lose his starting spot. Also, for what it’s worth, when Mobley returned from knee surgery in February, the Cavs immediately re-inserted him into the starting lineup. They’ve shown no appetite for making the incredibly difficult decision of playing one of their starting bigs off the bench to maintain the style of play on offense that is clearly best for the team this season.
And yet, Allen’s injury presents an opportunity to do just that. - Joe Vardon, The Athletic
The Cavs had easily their best offensive performance in the series Friday playing just one big at a time. Yet they only made 7-of-28 three pointers. After six games they’re shooting just 28.1% from deep.
Mitchell is hitting 25% of his 3’s, Strus 28%, LeVert 27%, Okoro 27%, Morris 21% and Niang 13%. Shocking, although the Magic’s length at every position makes it tough to get 3’s off. They had 6’10” center Jonathan Isaac guarding Garland to prevent him from shooting 3’s.
Mitchell on Friday was 3-for-9 on 3’s and 19-for-27 on 2’s. He continually got to the rim and converted the layup or floater. I expect him to try the same thing today and Orlando will have a plan to try and stop it.
This game could come down to whether Mitchell’s teammates can hit open 3’s after Donovan is doubled and forced to give up the ball. Darius Garland's performance will be huge. If it comes down to a close game in the 4th quarter he simply cannot start hemorrhaging turnovers and taking dumb shots.
Paolo Banchero is coming off a 39-point game and I expect he will come out firing. Mobley is the only Cavs’ player with the height and movement skills to slow him down. He and Franz Wagner seem to alternate having huge games.
That being said, the Magic are shooting 38% from the field and 25% on 3’s in Cleveland this series. The crowd will be extremely loud and that may affect the Magic’s shooting.
With Allen and Wade out and Mitchell not 100% it’s a miracle the Cavs are even here. Winning 48 games while Orlando won 47 in the regular season earned home court advantage for Game 7. It just goes to show the importance of every single game in that 82-game schedule. Letting one win on a Tuesday night in November slip away can cost you a playoff series.
I think Orlando is the better and healthier team and I won’t be surprised if they win this one. The Cavs are really banged up, their sixth man has disappeared, Niang can’t buy a bucket, Allen and Wade are out, and I don’t know if Donovan has anything left after those 42 minutes on Friday.
If the Cavs lose I will give thanks for an exciting season and a team that always played hard and was easy to root for. If they win it’s party time and at least four more Cavs games before we pack it in.
How do we find ways to continually be relentless? I have no doubt that will show up. I have no doubt Cleveland will show up. - Donovan Mitchell
