After a dominant sweep against the Miami Heat with a 4-0 series win, the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to the conference semifinals with high hopes riding on Donovan Mitchell and the team. However, the momentum quickly faded as the Cavaliers were overwhelmed by the Indiana Pacers, who eliminated them with a 4-1 series victory in the second round.
During the post-game press conference, Donovan Mitchell didn’t shy away from expressing the emotional toll the loss had taken on him. When a reporter asked if he had moved past the defeat, Mitchell’s response was raw and immediate.
“No. I haven’t been. Sorry. No. Not at all,” Mitchell replied.
Mitchell went on to share that the loss has been haunting him since the final buzzer. He revealed that he hadn’t gotten any sleep and had already rewatched the game twice. He is hoping to find answers for the Cavs team which ended the season with 64 wins.
Donovan Mitchell says he HAS NOT SLEPT since Cavs were eliminated and watched the game back twice instead 💔
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 14, 2025
Mitchell has never made a conference finals appearance in his career pic.twitter.com/rf2MVpsi7W
“I haven’t been asleep yet. Probably watched the game twice. It’s tough, man. It’s tough. It’s just, you know, you put a lot into a season. You know, you overcome, you know, different things throughout the year,” he added.
Donovan Mitchell Admits This Loss Hits Harder Than Others
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
After their Game 5 defeat, Donovan Mitchell was notably candid in assessing just how much this loss stung. He described the abrupt ending to the season as something that hit him suddenly and deeply.
“You saw it [the steps], and I think it hurts because it’s just, it’s so fast. It’s just like, pow, it just stopped. You know what it means? I have no plans. I have no, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing,” Mitchell said.
This marks the second consecutive season in which the Cavaliers were eliminated in the second round after a Game 5 loss. It remains a painful barrier for Mitchell, who is still seeking his first appearance in the conference finals.
