Donovan Mitchell made the target plain before the Cavaliers opened their NBA Cup run: get to Indianapolis.
The Cavs guard sent a message to fans ahead of Friday’s matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers, and he framed the night as the start of a short-term push.
“Cup game, first one of the season,” Mitchell said. “Trying to get to Indy.
That’s the goal. But it starts tonight.”
“Trying to get to Indy. That’s the goal.”
Mitchell arrives ahead of the Cavs-Sixers NBA Cup matchup 🗣️
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/OvMQRZKzCM
Cleveland gets the 76ers at Rocket Arena trying to shake off a two-game skid to the Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s no small task, either. Philadelphia comes in at 8-1 with the best record in the NBA.
Mitchell was the clear headliner in Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City, finishing with 27 points on 10-for-17 shooting, including five threes, along with six assists, three rebounds and one steal. James Harden added 19 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal.
The Cavs may also be dealing with Jarrett Allen’s status. He’s listed as questionable for Friday’s NBA Cup showdown after leaving Wednesday’s game in the first half with a right knee contusion.
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also left his mark on Cleveland, scoring 30-plus for the seventh straight game against the Cavs. That run tied Hall of Fame forward Tracy McGrady’s streak from 2003 to 2006 for the longest such stretch in franchise history. Gilgeous-Alexander followed a 43-point performance on Monday and helped the Thunder beat Cleveland twice in two days.
Friday’s game is the first half of a back-to-back for Cleveland. The defending champion New York Knicks come to Rocket Arena on Saturday, giving the Cavs two early-season tests in a row as they sit at 3-3 and look for their fifth win of the regular season.
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