Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell called the Game 4 loss a clear missed opportunity after a 93-89 defeat to the Toronto Raptors tied the first-round series at 2-2.
“A ten thousand percent,” Mitchell said. “We were still in a position to win and we didn’t.”
Cleveland led in the fourth quarter but unraveled late, getting outscored 10-2 over the final 1:54 as execution broke down on both ends.
“The turnover, 8-second violation, few missed blockouts, some missed shots,” Mitchell said. “Those proved to be costly on the road. And that can’t happen.”
Mitchell took responsibility for a critical late mistake, an eight-second violation that handed possession back to Toronto in the final minute.
“I made a mistake in a crucial moment,” he said. “I just got to get the ball up faster.”
The All-Star finished with 20 points on 6-for-24 shooting and missed a potential tying three-pointer in the final seconds, but he emphasized that shot-making alone did not decide the outcome.
“I got some open looks tonight and they just didn’t fall,” Mitchell said. “Same ones I’ve hit games one and two.”
Despite the offensive struggles, Cleveland held Toronto to 32% shooting and just 13% from three, a defensive effort Mitchell said should have been enough to win.
“Our defense gave us a chance,” he said. “We can build on that and continue to hang our hat there and the offense will come around.”
Mitchell pointed to the mental side of playoff basketball, especially on the road, as a key factor in closing games.
“We just got to find a way,” he said. “They protected home court, so now it’s our job to kind of do the same thing.”
The Cavaliers committed 18 turnovers and allowed repeated second-chance opportunities, issues Mitchell said fall into controllable areas.
“Limiting second-chance points, things like that, things that you can control,” he said. “We just didn’t do it.”
When asked about Toronto’s defensive adjustments, including extended pressure and top-lock coverage, Mitchell said Cleveland generated quality looks but failed to convert.
“We made the adjustments,” he said. “We got some great looks… we just couldn’t make a shot.”
He added that missed shots cannot affect defensive intensity, pointing to Cleveland’s ability to stay engaged despite offensive struggles.
“That takes a lot for a group to be like open look after open look, not having your head down,” Mitchell said.
With the series now a best-of-three, Mitchell made the focus clear heading into Game 5 in Cleveland.
“Just protect home court. Simple as that. By any means necessary,” he said.
Mitchell also rejected comparisons to past playoff struggles, noting the current roster is different.
“We’re a different team,” he said. “Tonight just wasn’t one of those nights.”
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