Donovan Mitchell says growing tired of losing early in the playoffs has inspired his recent performances.
Mitchell carried the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Orlando Magic in Game 7 of their first-round series on Sunday, finishing with 39 points on the evening.
It followed his 50-point explosion in Game 6, and Mitchell’s 89 points over the final two games of the series are the second most in Games 6 and 7 in NBA history, second only to Allen Iverson’s 90 in 2001.
“I’m tired of losing in the first round,” Mitchell said after overcoming the Magic Game 7. “You work too hard. We work too hard. That was my mindset … for me, just be in attack mode.”
Making Mitchell’s performance even more impressive was his battle with a knee injury that’s bothered him throughout the season. He was grimacing throughout Sunday’s game, but the pain did little to slow him down.
“I’m battling through what I’m battling through, but I could battle through it and figure it out, or rehab it for the next three or four months,” he said. “That’s where I’m at mentally.”
Mitchell is averaging 28.7 points, 5 rebounds and 4.4 assists in these playoffs. His success has come despite his lacklustre 25 percent shooting from beyond the three-point line.
Cleveland will now take on Boston in the second round, with Game 1 scheduled for Tuesday at TD Garden.
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