What Kenny Atkinson sent Donovan Mitchell before the win over the Pacers
In the midst of a three-game losing streak and entering the second night of back-to-back games on the road, The Cleveland Cavaliers had to come out with a win over the Indiana Pacers. So, before the match, the head coach of the Cavs Kenny Atkinson sent a text to Donovan Mitchell with a message that would foreshadow his night.
“You’ve got to go for 40 tonight,” Atkinson said, noting that Mitchell probably didn’t need his motivation but wanted to redouble his belief. “I’ve never said that to a player. ‘If you take 30 shots, I’m good with it. And if you take five or six bad ones, we’re good with it.’ I never said that to him or any player, but he felt it, I felt it; we needed him tonight. I just had to get the V.”
Mitchell finished the game with 43 points, nine rebounds and six assists on 16 of 27 from the field, knocking down four shots from deep in lead the league in total three-pointers made with 81. It was his third 40-point performance of the season and second in the last three contests, helping lead the Cavs to a 135-119 victory. Atkinson isn’t okay with Cleveland relying so much on “Superman,” as he referred to the All-Star running backs, but right now, “it is what it is.”
“We ask a lot from him. Without him, how many wins do we have?” Atkinson asked. “We have to ask ourselves that question. Everybody talks about great players in this league; this guy is one of them. Top five, you can say whatever you want.”
During his typically happy postgame interview with Serena Winters, Mitchell was stoic and nonchalant, more than satisfied with a double-digit win over the team that the Cavs were easy handling is expected. The story his eyes told after Sunday’s loss in Boston followed him to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday.
“It’s rare that Don isn’t funny,” Atkinson said. “I watched him before the game and you knew it. Almost more businesslike than ever. I kind of knew we weren’t going to lose this game. He didn’t let us lose it and he did it on both ends.”
Sounds like Mitchell is done playing games. Jaylon Tyson is right there with himalso.
The Cavs are marked, and if that mentality can trickle down from their leader and through the locker room, that level of focus could be the key to getting back on track.
2025-12-02 04:46:00
