CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell pushed himself to the limit, giving his all on the court while attempting to close out the talented Orlando Magic.
Cleveland’s top player fell short, but will have another opportunity.
One more chance in Game 7.
“Best two words in sports,” Mitchell expressed late Friday night.
The Cavs and Magic, unable to secure a win on the road, will settle their series on Sunday in a fitting winner-takes-all ending between two teams that have displayed their strengths and weaknesses in six games.
Only one team will move forward to face the well-rested Boston Celtics, the top team in the Eastern Conference.
For Mitchell, who delivered a remarkable performance in Friday night’s 103-96 loss in Game 6, everything that happened before this is almost insignificant, like an extended opening act.
“All the effort put in over six games becomes unimportant. It's all about desperation and determination,” he stated. “How do we find ways to keep pushing. I have no doubt that we’ll bring our A-game. I have no doubt Cleveland will do the same.”
It would benefit Mitchell if a few more of his teammates stepped up.
He was mainly on his own for long periods in Game 6, attempting to lead the Cavs to victory in a playoff series without LeBron James for the first time since 1993.
Mitchell persevered despite a troublesome left knee, but while he did his part and teammate Darius Garland contributed 21 points, the rest of Cleveland’s lineup, missing center Jarrett Allen due to a rib injury, only managed 25 points on 10-of-33 shooting.
Cavs forward Evan Mobley, who made a crucial block in the final seconds of Cleveland’s one-point win in Game 5, scored just three points on five shots and struggled after injuring his ankle in the first half.
Mobley was visibly limping after the game.
The Magic took advantage of the Cavs’ weaknesses in the frontline, dominating inside and outscoring Cleveland 66-38 in the paint, while also winning the rebound battle 48-38. Orlando also had more free-throw attempts with 26 compared to Cleveland’s 10 — a difference likely to decrease on the road.
While much of this is new to the Magic, who only won 22 games two years ago and 34 last year, there’s a subtle confidence in a young team forced to mature quickly.
The stage hasn’t intimidated Orlando so far, and coach Jamahl Mosley believes his team is prepared to face the crucial win-or-else situation.
“These guys remember what got them here,” Mosley said. “Certainly, they understand the significance. But we’ve been the same team all year, playing with urgency every single night, giving their all, playing for each other, and maintaining a strong defense.
"It stays the same, regardless of the game."
It appears that Paolo Banchero, a Magic forward, has consistently scored high, getting 39 points in Game 5, 27 points in Game 6, and averaging 25.2 points in his first playoff series.
The 21-year-old seems unaffected by the attention, which is about to increase even more for him and his teammates.
Banchero is sure that the Magic won’t back down.
"A few years ago and last year, not many people believed in us, but we believed in each other. That's all we would tell each other, that we know what we were capable of as a group," he said. "It's amazing that we're doing it."
MAGIC AT CAVALIERS
The series is tied 3-3. Game 7 is at 1 p.m. EDT on ABC
• NEED TO KNOW: This matchup between the No. 4 seed and the No. 5 seed has been as close as expected, with both teams winning 3 games at home. The last series where the home team won every game was in 2018, a first-round matchup won by Boston over Milwaukee. The Cavs last played a Game 7 at home in 2018 and beat Indiana. Expanding to the regular season, Orlando has lost seven consecutive road games.
• KEEP AN EYE ON: Cleveland’s bench. The Cavs' supporting cast hasn't been as effective as needed, averaging only 18 points in six games. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff needs more from his substitutes, particularly Caris LeVert, who is averaging 6.2 points in the series — eight points below his season average.
• INJURY WATCH: Allen didn't play in Games 5 and 6 due to a painful rib injury, and the Cavs really felt the absence of their main defender. Allen is crucial for Cleveland, and without him, the Cavs lack a key rim protector to stop the Magic's big men.
• PRESSURE IS ON: The stakes are high for the Cavs, who have spent the season seeking redemption from their first-round elimination by the Knicks a year ago. A loss on Sunday could lead to major changes and potentially influence whether Mitchell signs an extension with Cleveland this summer.
