Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell sends strong message to his teammates following Game 3 win over Pacers

Cleveland also welcomed back PF Evan Mobley, PG Darius Garland, and SF De’Andre Hunter, all of whom returned to the court for the Game 3 win in Indiana.

Donovan Mitchell wants to see this momentum continue into Game 4.

After falling behind 0-2, the Cavaliers knew they needed to get a win in Indiana to keep their playoff hopes alive. A 3-0 deficit would’ve been virtually insurmountable, and even 3-1 is an uphill battle. Mitchell is aiming for a 2-0 weekend sweep against the Pacers and says the pressure doesn’t go away any after this win. 

“No. We’ve got a job to do. We can’t relax. We have to keep our foot on the throttle,” Mitchell said after the game.

Mitchell now has back-to-back 40-point games in the series, after scoring 48 in the Game 2 loss. Mobley contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds in his return from a sprained ankle. Garland, however, struggled—shooting just 3-of-11 for 10 points in 24 minutes. Head coach Kenny Atkinson confirmed after the game that Garland is playing through injuries.

Cleveland faces Indiana again on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET in what is essentially a must-win game. Even Mitchell agrees. If the Cavs can bring the series back to Cleveland tied 2-2, they’ll be in a strong position moving forward.