'I go to war with these guys' – Mitchell delighted by return of Cavs stars
Donovan Mitchell believes the return of the Cleveland Cavaliers' stars to the lineup was exactly the boost they needed to earn their first win over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Cavs had lost the first two matches in the series but were finally at full strength in Game 3. They recorded a 126-104 win over the Pacers, pulling back to 2-1.
Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and De'Andre Hunter were all back from injury after missing Game 2, giving Mitchell the support he needed to lead Cleveland with 43 points and nine rebounds.
Mitchell is just the third player in the NBA to average 40+ points per game in the first three games of a playoff series in the last 40 years, after Michael Jordan (five times) and LeBron James (twice).
"It's great to have those guys back," Mitchell said. "They bring us a huge boost, bring me a huge boost.
"I go to war with these guys. I trust everybody in this locker room. And you saw it tonight, but ultimately, we got to do it again.
"I told [Garland], 20% of you, 30% of you is all what we need, man. He's fighting and gutting it out. A lot of respect for him."
Cleveland made 14 3-pointers and held a 56-37 rebounding edge, with four other players also scoring double figures as they followed Mitchell's lead.
THE CAVS TAKE GAME 3 ON THE ROAD FOR THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SERIES pic.twitter.com/dv17HXId63
— NBA (@NBA) May 10, 2025
They never trailed Indiana in the game, leading by as much as 26, and protected their advantage late on, even as the Pacers cut it down to 11 early in the fourth quarter.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson was desperate to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole in the series, and believes his team rallied at just the right time to keep their chances alive.
"It was kind of now or never," Atkinson said.
"You're banged up and you're hurting. They showed a lot of fortitude.
"I thought [Mitchell] was masterful. I don't use that word hardly ever. He was masterful in the way he controlled the game - passing, making the right decision, defending.
"Probably, for me, best performance of the year."
He also noted the importance of Garland's inclusion, who made his first appearance in the series and his first in the NBA since April 23.
A sprained left toe kept him out of the previous four playoff games, and he was playing through discomfort, with Atkinson explaining that it will take a lot to get him ready for Game 4 on Sunday.
"He's kind of taking one for the team here," Atkinson added of Garland. "He had to push through a lot [on Friday]."