The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off another disappointing loss in round one of the NBA Playoffs. After an abysmal second-half scoring performance, the Cavs lost 112-89 to the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of their East quarterfinal. Of course, Donovan Mitchell is subject to examination after the team's defeat. In addition, Cleveland must evaluate its shooting performance for future improvement.
The Cavaliers entered Game 4 fresh off a 121-83 loss to Orlando in the previous matchup. Cleveland was under fire for their subpar showing on both sides of the ball. In addition, Donovan Mitchell uncharacteristically scored just 13 points. Nevertheless, history repeated itself on Saturday.
Cleveland had a near-identical performance in Game 4, with the exception being their poorer second-half scoring display. The Cavs amassed just 29 points in the second half after scoring 60 in the first. Orlando shut Cleveland down and put on a stout offensive clinic. Most notably, the Magic held the Cavs to a lowly 23.5 percent on three-pointers while nailing 46.2 percent of their own.
Franz Wagner led Orlando's Game 4 attack. Wagner scored a team-high 34 points and pulled in 13 rebounds. In addition, the Magic had four other players score in the double digits, with Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac being part of the equation off the bench.
Meanwhile, the Cavs were led by Jarrett Allen, who scored a team-high 20 points in addition to nine rebounds. Allen has been a force for Cleveland throughout the series, but the Cavs need their other stars to step up and stop the bleeding.
Darius Garland scored 14 points and dished six assists, an improvement from his five-point outing in Game 3. Yet, Cleveland still needs more from him. Garland's backcourt partner had a similarly disappointing showing.
Donovan Mitchell must produce more if the Cavs want to overcome the Magic
Donovan Mitchell finished the game with 18 points in 36 minutes, going 5-of-14 from the field and 1-of-4 on 3-pointers. His struggle mimicked the 13-point outing he had in Game 3. Mitchell must find a way to produce more if the Cavs want to regain momentum in the series.
The All-Star guard is certainly capable of putting up better numbers. He averaged 26.6 points and shot 36.8% on three-pointers during the regular season. Despite his two-game slump, Mitchell understands the importance of rallying his squad. Before the Magic series started, Mitchell emphasized the importance of team success in the postseason.
“It definitely is something that fuels me. This is what I want to be. This is why I work hard. I take the scrutiny. I take the praise. But in order for me to be considered one of the best to play this game, I’ve got to do something when it matters most. Individual performances are great. But team success has to come with it. That’s where I’m at in my career,” Mitchell told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Surely, Mitchell will find a way to break his cold stretch and help the Cavs close out the series strong. Mitchell might get better offensive looks if the Cavs' role players can knock down more shots when the Magic send increased pressure to the star.
Outside shooting is a major point of emphasis for the Cavs
Surprisingly, Cleveland has shot 23.5 percent on three-pointers in both of their last two games against Orlando. While stars like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland share some blame for missing shots, Cleveland needs others to step their game up from beyond the arc.
Max Strus is a prime candidate to help Cleveland out. Strus averaged 12.5 points and shot 36.1 percent on threes during the regular season. However, he notched just seven points and went one for three from deep range on Saturday. If Strus can attempt and make more three-pointers, it will spur momentum that will open things up more for Cleveland.
All in all, the Cavs have what it takes to rally and advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs. They need to approach Games 5 and 6 with an intense vengeance to win.
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