TITLE: Cavaliers Turn Focus to Game 7 After Mitchell’s Off Night and Thompson’s Controversial Foul
SLUG: cavaliers-eye-deciding-game-7-after-mitchell-struggles
CONTENT:
With a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals on the line, the Cleveland Cavaliers head to Detroit for Game 7 on Sunday after a 21-point loss in Game 6 that saw Donovan Mitchell register his lowest scoring output of the series.
Mitchell finished Friday’s defeat with 18 points on 6-for-20 shooting, matching his three assists with three turnovers. “I missed shots tonight. I’ve been making them most every game of this series, and tonight I didn’t,” the guard said postgame, adding that he refuses to “dwell on it.”
The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd noted that Mitchell has not looked fully healthy throughout the postseason and suggested the All-Star could be dealing with an undisclosed injury. Regardless of his condition, the Cavaliers will count on him to rebound in the winner-take-all matchup at Little Caesars Arena.
Thompson Avoids Ejection
Detroit forward Ausar Thompson stayed in Game 6 after officials ruled a second-quarter altercation with Sam Merrill a Flagrant 1 rather than a Flagrant 2. Thompson pulled Merrill to the floor while fighting through a screen, wrapping an arm around the guard’s neck. Lead official Zach Zarba said the play lacked the “wind-up” required for an automatic ejection, calling the contact “unnecessary” but “not excessive.”
Harden Emphasizes Defensive Mindset
James Harden, who joined Cleveland at the trade deadline, said the Cavaliers must match Detroit’s defensive intensity to advance. “Our defense has to be the priority from the beginning of the game until the last buzzer,” Harden told reporters. “If we hang our hats on that end, we should be in a good position.”
Milestone for Harden
Harden’s first-quarter step-back three in Game 6 moved him past Stephen Curry on the NBA’s career postseason scoring list. The basket gave him 4,148 playoff points, one more than Curry, and placed him 10th all-time.
Game 7 tips off Sunday in Detroit, with the winner advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Source: Hoops Rumors
