Cavs vs Pacers | Donovan Mitchell Post Game | 11.21.2025

Do it. Chris. Hey, Donovan. Where did you feel the impact of Darius Garland’s return the most? Selfish selfishly. I’d have to bring the ball up. Um, no. I mean, I’m serious, but I’m joking. But it’s when you have a guy out there that can as a team when you, you know, obviously have myself, you have Ev, you have Dre, right? Jaylen’s been playing phenomen. Um, when you have a guy that can also is a is on the scout to report as a scorer as well as a passer and you have you have to respect that. So you look at the end of the game I really put the end of the game the beginning. Yeah, he scored and it did a lot of things but for him he was the initiator in our fourth quarter set. Um, I screamed forever and then they got to make a decision. Do they switch? Do they stay with me? Like there’s so many other things going on then that allows him to make plays. now we’re swinging the ball, moving the ball around and um ended up closing them out because you know obviously they made a little comeback whatever but you know when you have so many different threats out there and you saw it work every play you know obviously I had to pass to Ev he had to skip to DJ had to skip to Drezo had to skip to me um but when you see the way we ended the game you know it’s not just myself or it’s not just Ev it’s so many different guys um on a night basis and he was efficient um turnovers or whatever but he’s trying to be aggressive trying to make plays totally understand that you guys are different. Indiana’s very different from the spring as well, but this was the first time that you played them after what happened in the playoffs last year. When you play against that team, what kind of feelings does that evoke? Um, I mean, I think it’s it’s one of those things where, yeah, they beat us, so you want to beat them. Um, simple as that. Um, the they’re different, but most of those pretty much everybody that played was there last year except for Jay, right? J and J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J Jeremiah, right? So obviously their their their record doesn’t reflect the talent they have over there. I think they they have a lot of guys that are really really talented and and and can go obviously, but I think when when you play a team that knocks you out, you want to win. And um we took care of business. You smoked when I asked that question. Why? I mean, I hate every team that’s beat us. Like you know what I mean? Like who doesn’t, right? And if we had beaten them, I’m pretty sure they’d say the same thing, right? Like I you you you hate Boston cuz they beat you hate New York. I hate Dallas because they knocked us out and it’s not even the same team, right? You just just natural when you you have a chance to play for a championship. You you don’t like the team that knocked you out. You sitting home while they’re on TV. So, um you know, I mean, it’s it’s natural as a competitor. You you want to win. Thank you, Spencer. Uh Don, obviously in relation to Darius being out there, seemed like Evan got off to really an aggressive start this season. cuz how much does he does Garland help Evan just kind of you know blossom and and get out there and sort of take on that role? Well, like I said, it’s it’s easier when now you have to guard me, you have to guard DG, you have to guard Dre. So, like where does the help come from, right? It makes those decision making it makes that decision-m process a lot easier when you’re trying to develop is hard when you know the guys that help we the guys that helped him continue to grow aren’t aren’t fully out there whether it’s DG Max or whatever. So now you’re seeing with that space, with that opportunity, obviously him and DJ playing the twoman game, but also himself feeling feeling like he can get downhill and create um himself because he knows that they have to stay home on us, right? So I think that’s what you’re starting to see. And um like I said last game, 11 free throws, continuing to get downhill even though it’s only 13 shots, still 11 free throws. He’s still downhill and then also making the right plays. He’s dominated the glass. Um did a lot four block shots. Like he was everywhere in the paint tonight. Um making it tough and that’s what we need. And then as much as Darius obviously provided some juice for you guys getting Jaylen back, man, you spoke so only about him already a ton this season, but what kind of energy he start? First game off a concussion to have 14 and eight and make some really smart decisions. And I know that’s not funny, but like it’s when I’ i’ve had a few concussions and you’re even when you’re back, you’re still, you know, getting your your legs under you or your mind kind of back into the competitive mode. But for him to go six and seven, make the right decisions, playing in the half row, getting on the boards, 14 points, like that’s a sign of him, his work. Um, and he’s a dog, man. He’s he’s he’s I don’t I really don’t have much else to say. Like, he’s just he’s he’s really impressive. Um, and he still has a lot more room to grow, which I think is um scary to be honest. He’s he’s really talented. Jackson. Um, with Darius back today, Kenny was able to run with a three guard lineup of you, Darius, and Lonzo. What did you see from that group out there? Well, I mean, like I like I joked about before, it’s especially when you have a team like this that wants to press. It’s like there’s going to be somebody open, right? There’s going to be somebody that can initiate. We all have um great IQ when it comes to the game and kind of putting guys in the spots we all can shoot the ball, create attack. Um, so I think that’s one thing you saw and um, just being able to push the pace once we get the rebound and go and making it tough. You have to kind of look around to figure out where everybody’s at and and then continuing to trust that each other’s going to make the right play. Good. Oh,

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell spoke with the media following 120-109 win over the Indiana Pacers on November 21, 2025 at Rocket Arena.

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