Being absolutely obliterated in the Conference Finals is a gut punch, and Donovan Mitchell just admitted his Cleveland Cavaliers absolutely earned every bit of the heat coming their way. Mitchell isn’t sugarcoating it one bit, making it clear on the ‘Cousins’ podcast with Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter that the criticism after getting swept is “warranted.” He knows exactly what went wrong and he’s owning it.
“We Didn’t Take Care of Business”
Mitchell pulled no punches, laying out the ugly truth about their repeated playoff failures. “We got swept. We deserve the criticism that comes with that,” he stated. It wasn’t just the sweep, either. He pointed to two Game 7s where they should have closed out their opponents in six games. Can you imagine the frustration? He specifically highlighted letting Detroit off the hook, losing by 20 at home, which cost them crucial rest days before the next series. “If we had taken care of Detroit at home… we would have four days off heading into the next series, but we didn’t take care of business,” Mitchell confessed. It’s that kind of self-reflection, that raw honesty, that tells you how deep the disappointment runs. It’s not disrespect to their opponents, but a clear admission of missed opportunities.
The Road to Crushing Defeat
The collapse wasn’t sudden. Before the 2026 playoffs, the Cavaliers had stacked up an impressive 64 wins, looking like a real contender, a budding dynasty even. Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen seemed to have all the pieces. But then they stumbled, falling apart in the second round against a Pacers team that simply bullied them. That gut-wrenching defeat had major consequences: Darius Garland departed the following season, paving the way for James Harden to join Cleveland as their new star point guard. Harden and Mitchell actually played well together in the 2025-26 season, pushing their team all the way to the Conference Finals. But then, boom. They were absolutely obliterated, swept in embarrassing fashion by the New York Knicks. That crushing blow is clearly still on Mitchell’s mind, and he blames himself for not handling business earlier when they had the chance. Those two hard-fought seven-game series in the first two rounds wore them down, setting them up for failure against the Knicks.
Naturally, after so many disappointing seasons, Mitchell gets why fans have lost faith. Even with Peyton Watson added this summer, the skepticism is real, especially with powerhouses like the Knicks, 76ers, and Heat in the East. But Mitchell’s not backing down. He’s determined to change that narrative. With his averages of 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last season, he’s got the game. Now, he just needs to prove to everyone, and himself, that the Cavaliers are ready to win it all.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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