Donovan Mitchell Reveals Big Regret After Cavaliers' Surprise NBA Playoff Exit

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nathan Dougherty | Last updated May 14, 2025 1:29 AM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers saw their hopes of an NBA title fade away with Tuesday's loss to the Indiana Pacers, which knocked off the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Cavaliers went into Tuesday's game with their backs against the wall, facing a 3-1 series deficit. They got out to a hot start, leading 31-19 after the first quarter, but the Pacers came surging back and won 114-105.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell revealed his regret for not getting it done for his home fans. Mitchell shared love for the way Cleveland's fans showed up and supported the team, lamenting that they dropped all three games at home during the series.

“I love playing in this arena, man. We’re 0-3 at home. We let the city down,” Mitchell said. “This place is special. What hurts is that we didn’t get it done at home.”

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who scored 31 points in Tuesday's decisive game, gave credit to his team for keeping their composure after giving up an early lead before the raucous home fans in Cleveland.

“We didn't panic after that rough start to the first quarter," Haliburton told reporters after the game. "We talked about how we knew that they were going to throw a haymaker there. But I thought we weathered the storm the right way and got going from there."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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