Cavs missed a chance to close out the series.
The Cleveland Cavaliers let an opportunity slip through their hands in a 103-96 defeat to the Orlando Magic in Game 6.
Could it be anyone else?
Limping through most of the game, Donovan Mitchell willed himself to 50 points on 22-36 shooting. It was an all-time great performance with Mitchell repeatedly powering his way into the paint for tremendous finishes all night long.
Mitchell’s heroics were momentarily complimented by his backcourt running mate, Darius Garland. Garland began the game with authority, scoring 21 points and converting tough shots in the paint alongside Mitchell through three quarters.
Then, the fourth quarter happened. Garland was fine for most of the night but his three turnovers in the fourth quarter were as destructive as it gets. An eight-second violation in the clutch halted any chance of the Cavaliers winning this game.
But that’s not all. Garland, like the rest of the Cavaliers excluding one, went scoreless in the closing period. It was Mitchell who scored all 18 points for the Cavs, finishing the game with more overall points than the rest of his team combined (46 points).
There’s no way around it, Mitchell’s supporting cast let him down. Evan Mobley finished with just 3 points on 1-5 shooting while the Cleveland bench produced a whopping 10 points on 4-14.
That type of performance from Mitchell is one the Cavs could not afford to waste. With Game 7 slated for Sunday afternoon, the team has less than 48 hours to bounce back from a gut-wrenching defeat. For Mitchell, there might not be much left in the tank.
This has been the case all season long for the Cavaliers. Injuries have consistently placed a heavy load on Mitchell. Eventually, that burden will be too large to carry. To get out of the first round, Mitchell will either need to conjure up another herculean effort or finally receive the support he deserves. The season will be over if he doesn’t.
