Donovan Mitchell is used to being the focal point. But over the past five games, the defensive attention he’s drawn has reached another level. Opposing teams are blanketing him - denying touches, pressing hard when he does have the ball, and forcing the Cleveland Cavaliers’ supporting cast to figure things out on the fly.
It started with the Philadelphia 76ers, when Kelly Oubre Jr. and rookie VJ Edgecombe set the tone. Since then, defenders like Lu Dort, Sion James, Dennis Schroder, and Anthony Black have taken turns hounding Mitchell.
And it’s not just when he’s initiating the offense. Even off the ball, defenders are glued to him, treating him like Steph Curry - constantly chasing, denying, and daring the rest of the Cavs to beat them.
That strategy has put pressure on Cleveland’s younger players to step up - and they’ve responded with growing confidence. Jaylon Tyson, in particular, has started to develop a strong two-man game with Mitchell. Whether it’s on a half-roll or in space created by Mitchell drawing double teams, Tyson’s decision-making has become a key part of the Cavs’ offensive adjustments.
“Credit to Jaylon,” Mitchell said. “That half-roll, it’s him and I.
That two-man game has been phenomenal. It’s a big credit to him and the work he’s put in.”
Mitchell knows teams are going to keep sending extra defenders his way. That’s just part of being a star.
But what’s changed is how the Cavs are adapting. When defenses collapse on Mitchell, it’s opening up opportunities for Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and the rest of the supporting cast.
Whether it’s inverted screens, off-ball movement, or letting the offense run through Mobley for stretches, Cleveland is diversifying its attack.
“You’ve got to figure out where [defenses] want to go,” Mitchell said. “If you miss a layup, [Allen] is right there. It’s just different things you can do.”
That flexibility is crucial, especially with Darius Garland out. Mitchell’s workload has increased, and he’s feeling it.
“You’re going to be tired,” he admitted. “The second thing is figuring out how to be smart.”
That means picking his spots, trusting his teammates, and living with the growing pains that come from leaning on young players. There have been mistakes - like a near-costly turnover late in a recent game, when Tyson made the right read but delivered the pass too early, leading to a steal and a missed three from Malik Monk.
But Mitchell’s not discouraged. If anything, he sees it as part of the process.
“You’ve got to be willing to let those mistakes happen,” he said.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson echoed that sentiment, pointing out that with Mitchell and Mobley drawing so much attention, others have to step up - even if it’s not always pretty.
“I think it was more scrappiness than beauty,” Atkinson said. “But they’re taking away your two best players. Other guys have got to make plays, and I think Jaylon’s got to do some of that for us until we get some guys back.”
Tyson, along with Craig Porter Jr., Tyrese Proctor, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, has shown flashes. But this next stretch will test their ability to consistently make the right reads and keep the offense flowing when Mitchell is swarmed.
“It’s like, ‘Hey, they’re guarding me like this - let me do this, let me do that,’” Mitchell explained. “Sometimes it’s just, ‘I’m going to go stand over here, and you have to play 4-on-4 in open space.’”
It’s a chess match, and Mitchell’s learning how to conserve energy while still being effective. That’s especially important given the turnover issues that have plagued Cleveland during this stretch. In the past five games, the Cavs have coughed it up 84 times - with Mitchell (19), Tyson (15), De’Andre Hunter (11), Mobley (10), Porter (8), and Allen (6) all contributing to the problem.
Atkinson pointed to spacing and decision-making as the main culprits.
“We’re down a few [players], down some gravity,” he said. “As gravity gets reduced, your turnovers go up. The more shooters you have on the floor, the easier it is to keep your turnovers down.”
He also emphasized the importance of continuing to trust the young guys - even when the decisions aren’t perfect.
“Sometimes we’re trying to drive through gaps that aren’t there,” Atkinson said. “We can get one of our role players to cut - maybe he’s not a great shooter - so we’ve got to do it a little differently.”
Despite the growing pains, the Cavs are finding ways to win. They’ve taken three straight and 10 of their last 14, climbing to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. It hasn’t always been pretty, but it’s been gritty - and that’s exactly what they need right now.
“It’s how we continue to stack,” Mitchell said. “I don’t really care how we do it as long as we continue to win games.
It’s not going to be pretty. But we’ve done a great job of believing as a collective.”
Atkinson agreed, noting the tight race in the East and the importance of stringing wins together.
“There’s more parity than ever,” he said. “You might not go knock off 15 in a row, but if you can get three, four in a row, it can really push you to another seeding, another place in the standings.”
The Cavs are doing just that - grinding through adversity, trusting their depth, and learning on the fly. And if they keep stacking wins, they’ll be more than just a tough out come playoff time - they’ll be battle-tested and dangerous.