CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs misplaced their first playoff recreation of their playoff run, falling 121-112 to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night time in Sport 1 of the Japanese Convention semifinals.
Donovan Mitchell put collectively one other herculean effort to try to will his group to victory, however Cleveland couldn’t end the job.
Mitchell turned the primary participant in NBA historical past to have scored 30 or extra factors in Sport 1 in eight straight collection, passing Michael Jordan who completed the feat in seven straight collection.
Right here’s what the six-time All-Star capturing guard stated after the loss:
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Q: What do you’re taking away probably the most from Sport 1?
MITCHELL: “Clearly, they made a bunch of photographs. They get out in transition. We didn’t make photographs, however give them credit score. They got here in right here and dealt with enterprise. They had been bodily. We’d like to go 16-0, however that’s not how this works. Like I stated, they made photographs. We gotta be higher defensively. Offensively, we didn’t make photographs and gotta give them credit score. However, you recognize, not simple to go 16-0. We gotta discover a method and reply. That’s the largest factor. Nothing to hold our heads about. We’ll be positive and we’ll be higher.
Q: How a lot do you assume this collection is gonna take a look at you guys mentally and bodily?
“Thousand %. Thousand %. I imply, like I simply stated, it could have been nice to return in right here and sweep these guys too, however that’s not how this works, man. That is an uphill battle. It’s all the time gonna be. It’s the playoffs. I stated it throughout media the opposite day, like, that is an skilled basketball group. They’re not gonna waver. They’ve been there earlier than. And for us, that is one recreation, you recognize what I imply? The largest factor is simply how do you reply? Take a look at the movie. However that is what it’s about. Mentally, bodily, frequently going and going and going. They hit first and we acquired to reply.”
Q: What did you concentrate on the shot high quality that you simply guys had?
“We missed beauty. We missed quite a lot of beauty. After which if you miss photographs, that’s once they get stepping into transition. So I like quite a lot of the seems we acquired. I imply, I used to be 1-of-11 from three and a few of them had been broad open. A number of the photographs I’ve made. The largest factor is, when the photographs aren’t falling, how do you reply? However when a group like this, they run like that, it makes it powerful. So, yeah, you recognize, we miss photographs and we’ll be higher and, you recognize, we’ll be prepared for recreation two.”
Q: A variety of the speak main into the collection was concerning the tempo that the Pacers play at. How did you assume that you simply guys adjusted to that?
“I believe within the first half, they dictated. All through the sport, they dictated. I believe within the third quarter we made our run and we sort of figured it out in numerous methods. I wouldn’t say we figured it out as a result of we misplaced, however we figured some issues labored and now we gotta return and watch it and watch why it labored after which go from there. However like I stated, you gotta give them credit score. They got here in right here and dictated the sport. So it’s on us to win, make changes and be prepared for Sport 2.”
Q: In that second half, issues had been working a bit bit for you guys. Donovan, for you, what was your message as one of many leaders of this group going into that second half of cleansing issues up?
“We acquired down 12. It was all proper. That is nothing to freak out about, you recognize what I’m saying? Understanding that it’s an extended recreation, they made so much, they made some photographs and like I stated, you gotta are available and provides them credit score. To make photographs on the highway, Sport 1, set that tone, that’s credit score to them. However, you recognize, by no means hanging your head, don’t journey. That’s just about been the message the entire time. And even tonight, understanding that, look, we didn’t play our greatest basketball, we’ll be higher. So our message is just about constant regardless. However, you recognize, understanding that, hey, we discovered some issues that we could be higher at and we’ll be higher.”
Q: Do you are feeling such as you’ll have the ability to carry these changes over into Sport 2?
“We gotta take a look at the movie after which we gotta execute. I believe that’s the largest factor. I may inform you what it was, however we gotta go on the market and execute on the ground, and I’ve little doubt that we are going to. That’s the group we’ve proven to be, and it’s one recreation. I imply, yeah, we misplaced dwelling court docket benefit technically, nevertheless it’s one recreation. And we simply gotta reply for Sport 2.”
Q: You talked the opposite day about Tyrese Haliburton. What does Andrew Nembhard do for them? What did he do for them tonight and what does he form of permit them to do total?
“He went 5-of-6 from three, hit some huge photographs. However he’s been doing that. He did it final yr in opposition to the Knicks, and he had rattling close to a triple-double in opposition to the Celtics, averaging. So he’s powerful, man. He’s a man that clearly we all know what he brings defensively, however offensively, when he’s capable of give them that, him and Nesmith once they’re capable of give them that, it’s enormous. After which it opens the lane for Tyrese to sort of get in there and create. So he’s powerful. However finally, for us, we gotta discover methods to include everyone and be higher.”
Q: Is there a distinction between figuring out that they play actually quick they usually play with drive after which truly seeing it?
“Yeah, I imply, you don’t apply at that tempo, however finally we had been capable of finding methods to we simply weren’t capable of proceed to do it, and that’s on us. We’ll take a look at the movie and discover methods to proceed to do it.”
Q: You had 30 shot makes an attempt tonight. How do you are feeling about that by way of the general variety of photographs?
“Proper now? My reply might be like, rattling that’s quite a lot of photographs. However, you recognize, I’ll look again on the movie and consider it. However finally, man, like, simply looking for methods to be aggressive. There are occasions, clearly I may – I haven’t watched the movie, so I can’t, you recognize, I’m not going to sit down right here and say that is horrible or nice or no matter, however I’ll be higher and be higher for the group.”
Q: It appeared like quite a lot of these misses had been layups and moving into the paint. Was this extra of a soar shot problem?
“We missed photographs we make. Yeah, we missed open seems and nothing to hold our head about. We’ve missed photographs earlier than and we’ve misplaced video games earlier than from not making photographs. However we’re not going to sit down right here and say, oh, if we make photographs, we win video games. We gotta discover a approach to nonetheless win this recreation although we don’t make photographs. In the end we didn’t try this tonight. However yeah, we acquired beauty, man, and you recognize, don’t cling our head. Simply be prepared for Sport 2.”
Q: Donovan, it got here in a loss, however your eighth straight collection opening recreation with 30 factors, surpassing Jordan. What does it really feel wish to get that mark?
“Jordan gained Sport 1. It’s all the time nice to be in nice firm, however man, we misplaced. I shot 30 occasions. Like I stated, I’ll be higher. That’s not one thing I come into – I all the time attempt to be aggressive to start out a collection, however Jordan gained Sport 1, I didn’t."
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