Donovan Mitchell’s Tired. Darius Garland’s Hurt. And the Pacers Are Smelling Blood. So here we are—Cavs vs. Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semis, and the vibes feel tense. Why? Because Donovan Mitchell does everything short of selling popcorn at halftime, and it still isn’t enough. With Darius Garland sidelined thanks to a bum toe, Donovan Mitchell has stepped into superhero mode—and like most solo acts, the cracks have started to show.
Donovan Mitchell stepped into the overworked “hero mode” 2K archetype. He scores, facilitates, yells—he does it all. With Garland sitting out thanks to a stubborn toe injury, Mitchell controls everything: green light, red light, even the flashing yellow. And yeah, Rick Carlisle sees it. “He’s gonna get clean looks,” Carlisle admitted after the Pacers’ 121-112 win. “He has that kind of strength and explosiveness, and we’re fortunate he missed a lot of ones that he would normally make.” Translation: They got cooked, but Mitchell missed just enough for Indiana to escape with a win.
Donovan Mitchell in Game 1:
33 Points
13-30 FG
1-11 3PT
FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDA WAS HITTING INNOCENT PEOPLE WITH BRICKS pic.twitter.com/RzTJNw1Hkx
— Hater Central (@TheHateCentral) May 5, 2025
Carlisle wasn’t wrong—Mitchell went just 1-of-11 from beyond the arc, clearly showing signs that his legs had no juice left and help was nowhere to be found. The Cavs’ fourth-quarter offense turned into a one-man rescue mission, with Mitchell forced into low-efficiency hero ball while the rest of the roster bricked wide-open looks. “They missed a lot of ones they’ll normally make, and they heaved some at the end, you know, that are tough shots,” Carlisle added. “So I don’t know—we got to look at all of it and judge it for what it is, and not just looking at it as numbers on a score sheet, you know, because we happened to win the game.”
Carlisle’s basically saying all the right things while building the blueprint to clamp down. “This is a long series,” he said, which is coach-speak for “We’re going to keep tweaking until your legs give out, my guy.” The Pacers did just enough to hold off the Mitchell onslaught, mainly because the Cavs shot like they had oven mitts on.
Donovan Mitchell himself also kept it real postgame. “When shots don’t go in, that lets them run,” he said. No cap. The Cavs’ cold shooting turned every brick into a fast-break buffet for Indy. They couldn’t buy a bucket from outside, and the Pacers cashed that in like a DoorDash coupon.
Meanwhile, Carlisle kept it simple: stay aggressive. “We encourage our guys to play free and let it ride.” Translation: Run, shoot, and let Tyrese Haliburton do Tyrese Haliburton things.
Garland’s comeback clock ticks down, and Spida grows tired.
Let’s talk about the ghost in the room—Darius Garland. That sprained toe has turned Cleveland’s backcourt from a two-headed monster into a one-man band. The weight is piling on Spida’s shoulders. Without Garland, there’s no second creator, no proper spacing, and no one to ease the defensive pressure on Donovan Mitchell. Kenny Atkinson preaches patience, treating Garland’s foot like the final boss of this playoff run.
But Carlisle knows it’s coming. “Garland’s gonna be back… probably sooner than later,” he said. The Pacers are prepping like he’s suiting up tomorrow. And when he does, everything changes. The Cavs can actually run their sets without Mitchell having to iso his way into exhaustion.
Carlisle’s not dumb. He knows they’ll have to shift gears. “Andrew [Nembhard] is an All-NBA defender, but Donovan’s a special talent,” he said, low-key admitting they need all hands on deck. So expect more help defense, more talk, and probably some box-and-whatever thrown in just to keep Mitchell guessing.
Both squads know Game 1 was just the opening jab. Carlisle’s already warning his team not to get cute. “They’re good at what they do. They’re gonna adjust.” And he’s not wrong. Cleveland’s been here before—gritty, ugly, grind-it-out hoops until something clicks.
The Pacers? They’re playing free, fast, and with just enough recklessness to be dangerous. Haliburton and Siakam are thriving in the chaos. But they also know this series is hanging on two things: Mitchell’s stamina and Garland’s foot.
Donovan Mitchell throws haymakers, but even superheroes get tired. Garland’s return would be the best sidekick entrance since Robin dropped into Gotham. Until then, it’s Spida vs. the world—and the Pacers are ready to see if he can keep carrying that load.
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