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The Cleveland Cavaliers walked into Sunday’s Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers hoping to even the series and reclaim momentum. Instead, they limped out, both literally and figuratively, staring down a 3-1 series deficit and the very real possibility of life without Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell, who suffered a scary ankle injury during halftime.
Mitchell, who had averaged a blistering 41.3 points per game through the first three games of the series, had almost single-handedly kept Cleveland afloat against a surging Pacers squad. But during Game 4, the script flipped. Indiana came out swinging, delivering a first-half drubbing that saw them take an 80-39 lead into halftime, the largest halftime margin in playoff history.
But the scoreboard wasn’t the Cavs’ biggest concern.
Mitchell never returned after the break. Following a sluggish 12-point first half on just 3-of-11 shooting, he emerged from the locker room to warm up for the third quarter, only to crumple in discomfort during a simple shooting drill.
Back to back seasons ending with this at play is frustrating to say the least. pic.twitter.com/SA1DWekPBe
— RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) May 12, 2025
A non-contact step near the top of the arc ended with Mitchell doubled over, hands on knees, clearly in pain. The training staff quickly intervened, and within minutes, Mitchell disappeared back into the locker room. He was officially ruled out for the remainder of the game with a left ankle injury. Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said after the game that Mitchell will get an MRI on Monday, and he has “no idea” of the Cavs superstar's status for Game 5.
Cleveland’s 129-109 loss only underscored the gravity of Mitchell’s absence. The Cavaliers, who entered the game with a clean injury report for the first time in weeks, looked disjointed and lifeless without their star guard. They were already fighting an uphill battle with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and De’Andre Hunter all dealing with nagging injuries, but Mitchell had been the difference-maker. Without him, the team lacked rhythm, leadership, and the kind of offensive firepower necessary to survive postseason basketball.
The loss of Donovan Mitchell underscored the Cavs' Game 4 drubbing
Mitchell's injury compounds an already difficult situation. He had been playing through a calf strain that flared up at the end of Game 2. Regardless, he still managed to deliver transcendent performances in Games 1 through 3.
Throughout the series, he's been scoring in bunches and contributing 6.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. He had kept the Cavs competitive in a series where their depth and cohesion had begun to erode.
But now, everything hinges on the results of his MRI. It could bring hope. Or heartbreak.
If Mitchell is cleared to play and can return anywhere close to the form he showed earlier in the series, Cleveland has a puncher’s chance. They’ll need to win three straight, including at least one on the road in Indianapolis, to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. That’s a tall task under any circumstances. But without Mitchell, it feels like it borders on impossible.
However, until the results of his MRI are found, any optimism feels more like inertia than reality. The Cavs are in crisis mode. Mitchell’s availability will almost certainly determine whether their 64-win campaign survives another night or fades into postseason disappointment.
For the second consecutive year, Cleveland’s playoff hopes may be unraveling with Mitchell stuck on the sideline. Cleveland, hoping the MRI brings good news. Because without Donovan Mitchell, the Cavs are not just undermanned, they're possibly dead on arrival.
Whatever the scan reveals, one thing is clear. This moment and this MRI hold the fate of the Cavs’ season in their hands.
