Donovan Mitchell has built a reputation as the Cavaliers’ late-game answer, the guy Cleveland trusts when the clock gets tight and the possession matters most. That part hasn’t changed. What’s changing is the conversation around what he should actually do with the ball when the game is hanging in the balance.
After Cleveland’s 114-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, two questionable 3-point tries from Mitchell in the closing minutes sparked a sharper look at how he operates as a finisher. Cavaliers beat reporter Chris Fedor framed it as less of a criticism of Mitchell’s talent and more of a challenge to the way he defines his job in those moments.
To start the season, Mitchell’s shot selection, heliocentric offense and ability to create for teammates have already come under scrutiny, especially from Wine and Gold Talk podcast host Ethan Sands. Fedor’s response pushed the discussion beyond whether Mitchell should be the guy and into what being the guy should look like.
“In end of game situations, Donovan’s your guy. You want the ball in his hands,” Fedor said.
“But for Donovan, that doesn’t mean that he always has to take the shot. And sometimes setting up a teammate or sometimes passing it to a teammate, sometimes breaking the defense down and putting them in scramble mode and creating for somebody else can, can be a good shot.”
The play that set off the discussion was an off-balance 3 from the right wing, taken with meaningful time still on the clock and the game still very much in doubt. Atlanta had spent the night throwing long, physical defenders at him, including Dyson Daniels and Lou Dort, and Mitchell still forced a contested look when other options were available.
Fedor’s point was not that Mitchell should stop being aggressive. It was that Cleveland’s star can widen his idea of what a winning fourth quarter looks like.
“You can play hero as the guy who made the right play, made the right decision, made the right pass. Sam Merrill might have played hero if he made the shot right. Or Evan Mobley could have played hero because he makes the shot.”
The larger problem, according to Fedor, is that defenses have already figured out how Mitchell wants to close. Opponents know he wants the shot, and they’re shaping late-game possessions to steer him into difficult attempts.
“I think Donovan is so geared toward, this is my job, this is why I’m here. I’m going to take the shot come hell or high water. And it doesn’t have to be like that,” Fedor said.
Fedor was careful not to suggest that Mobley or Merrill should suddenly become the players creating in isolation with the game on the line. The message was narrower than that, but still significant: Mitchell’s role doesn’t need to shrink, it needs to evolve.
“If it’s going to be late game situations like, like it was last night against Atlanta and that’s the shot that he’s going to take, then that’s not good offense, then that’s not maximizing Donovan Mitchell, that’s not maximizing the possession.”
Mitchell remains one of the NBA’s best closers. The next step, though, may be learning that the best late-game play isn’t always the one where he takes the shot himself.
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Cavs Just Unlocked A Formula The Bucks Couldnt Handle
The Cavaliers found a way to make life miserable for Milwaukee by leaning into the size and skill of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, and it showed on both ends of the floor. Allen and Mobley were central to the game plan, giving Cleveland a steadier interior presence than the Bucks could handle while also helping set the tone defensively. Donovan Mitchell and Mario Hezonja chipped in as well, but the night was defined by how often Cleveland could turn to its frontcourt and keep the pressure on.
For the Bucks, the problem was less about one hot hand than a broader inability to keep Clevelands bigs from dictating the action. Milwaukees defense struggled to contain the Cavaliers inside, and the matchup exposed just how difficult it can be when Cleveland gets that part of its offense rolling. Tyler Herro also came up short of expectations, adding to a night in which the Bucks never quite found the answer to the Cavaliers interior edge. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Face A Backcourt Problem That Could Force A Tough Choice
Since Donovan Mitchell arrived, the Cavaliers have lived with a familiar problem in the backcourt: how to keep enough defensive size on the floor without dulling the offense. James Harden has helped some because of his strength and ability to hold up better inside, but opponents still look to drag him into space and attack with quicker guards, which keeps Cleveland searching for cleaner lineup answers.
The numbers have only sharpened the debate, because Mitchell and Harden have looked better when they are not sharing the floor and Cleveland has gotten more from Mitchell alongside shooting around him. Harden still matters as a late-game scorer and Mitchell remains the engine, but the Cavs are weighing whether a different starting mix might better fit the way they want to defend and close games. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs May Have Found The Offensive Formula Fans Wanted
Kenny Atkinson made it clear he wanted Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley more involved offensively, and the Cavaliers responded in a way that looked a lot like the kind of balance this roster has been chasing. Against Milwaukee, Cleveland leaned into its size and kept working the ball inside, a formula that put pressure on a Bucks defense that struggled to hold up around the rim.
The result was a convincing 136-111 win built on interior dominance and a frontcourt that kept the offense humming. Mobley and Allen were central to that push, and the Cavs spent the night attacking the paint with enough consistency to make the matchup feel lopsided long before the final buzzer. The bigger question now is whether this was a one-night answer or the start of something Cleveland can keep repeating. [Read more 🡒]