Cavaliers’ Mitchell warns teammates after shaky finish in season opener
cavaliers-mitchell-warns-teammates-after-shaky-finish
The Cleveland Cavaliers left Barclays Center on Friday night with their first win of the new NBA season, yet All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell was anything but satisfied. Cleveland’s 25-point advantage melted to seven in the fourth quarter, stirring memories of last spring’s postseason stumble, and Mitchell made it clear in the locker room that such lapses cannot continue.
“We won and it was great,” Mitchell told reporters. “But there’s no way it should be a seven-point win if we want to be the team we want to be. We did this last year. That can’t happen.”
Lead slips despite crisp ball movement
Cleveland piled up 32 assists on 44 made field goals, an encouraging sign for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The late-game letdown, however, overshadowed the ball movement. Center Jarrett Allen echoed Mitchell’s message: “We can’t let that happen. We know as a team to get where we want to go, we can’t let that happen.”
Allen prepares for Turner test
The Cavaliers host Milwaukee in Sunday’s home opener at 6 p.m. ET, a matchup that will reunite Allen with defensive standout Myles Turner—now paired with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Bucks’ frontcourt. Turner’s rim protection and floor spacing frustrated Allen during last season’s playoffs and helped expose Cleveland’s interior weaknesses.
Frontcourt adjustments
Milwaukee’s acquisition of Turner aligns with the league-wide move toward quicker, more versatile big men. The Bucks reshaped their front line after parting with Damian Lillard, aiming to maximize Antetokounmpo’s prime years. Cleveland answered in the offseason by adding Larry Nance Jr. and Thomas Bryant to bolster depth, though the interior still revolves around the Allen-Evan Mobley tandem. Coaches want Allen to bring consistent physicality more than high point totals.
Expectations mirror 2016 run
The Cavaliers posted 64 wins last year, and the front office believes the current roster—now featuring Lonzo Ball, Nance and a deeper bench—offers the club’s best championship opportunity since 2016. Many fans view the season as title-or-bust. Cleveland’s primary competition is expected to come from the Knicks, while the Pistons, Bucks, Magic and a potentially resurgent 76ers squad loom as additional hurdles.
For Mitchell, the objective is straightforward: raise the standard, maintain intensity, and shut the door when the Cavaliers have opponents on the ropes.
Source: Hoops Wire
