Donovan Mitchell scored more than 40 points for the second game in a row against the Pacers to help his Cleveland Cavaliers beat Indiana 126-104 and get back in the Eastern Conference Semifinals after being down 2-0.
The superstar guard turned it up late in the game and made a couple of key shots down the stretch when the Pacers were threatening to make a comeback. The former Utah Jazz All-Star is averaging 41.3 points per game in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Center Jarrett Allen recorded a double-double for the fourth time over his last five playoff appearances, and the star big man continues to make a huge impact on both ends of the court for Cleveland. The former Texas Longhorns stud now has five double-doubles in seven playoff outings.
Mitchell makes a Jordanesque move
Donovan Mitchell made a Jordanesque move during the first quarter of game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals that had NBA fans going wild. As the flashy guard drove to the paint, he was guarded by All-Star guard from the Indiana Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton. Forward Pascal Siakam joined in to defend Mitchell, but he made a spin move to shake both rivals.
As he was looking to dunk the ball, the center/forward Myles Turner jumped to contest Donovan‘s shot. That’s when the guard displayed all of his skills and abilities mid-air as he managed to make a lay up under pressure, finishing the play and giving his Cavaliers two needed points.
“That move is simply more than Air Jordan. A move that can only be identified with superstars,” an X user posted. “Why is Donovan Mitchell not talked about as one of the top 5 players in the league? He has been other wordly since he got to Cleveland,” somebody else wrote. “He has such a strong upper body even though he’s undersized. He can absorb contacts from much bigger players,” another X user commented.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are fighting for their life
The Cleveland Cavaliers are down 2-1 on the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, and they are ready to take on the next challenge in game 4 on Sunday. The team wants to avoid being down 3-1 before the series goes backs to Ohio.
One of the main reasons why the Cavs have a chance in the series is the fact that they have a very motivated Donovan Mitchell on their side. He finished with 43 points and nine rebounds on game 3. “I know I scored, but like, we got stops, made plays. But for me, just trying to be the aggressor.”
Cleveland also reverted more to the regular-season form by making 14 3-pointers, holding a 56-37 rebounding edge, even using zone defense to slow down the high-flying Pacers. But it was Mitchell’s finishing punch that stood apart.
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