Cleveland Cavaliers blew a 4th-quarter lead against the New York Knicks and lost in overtime, an early sign their playoff clutch issues run deeper than just blame aimed at James Harden. Donovan Mitchell’s clutch shooting has been even worse than Harden’s, and
By the time the overtime period arrived, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff frustrations didn’t feel like something that could be shrugged off. They’d built a huge lead in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks, only to watch it slip away and end the night with a loss in overtime.
The opening series was supposed to be about momentum. Instead. the Cavs started it with a blown late advantage and a familiar problem: clutch execution that hasn’t been where it needs to be. The conversation has often turned to James Harden, and the numbers behind that scrutiny are hard to ignore. In the clutch, Harden is shooting 6-for-17.
But the Cavs’ issues don’t stop there. Donovan Mitchell has been unexpectedly worse than Harden in the clutch, shooting 5-for-23. It’s a detail that makes the postseason picture uglier for Cleveland. because it suggests the problem isn’t only about one player’s rhythm—it’s about who’s supposed to carry the offense when the margin disappears.
Mitchell didn’t offer an escape route after the game. “Should’ve won the game,” he said. “Not gonna put it on [complacency or fatigue]. Even if there was complacency, we’re up 22 with God knows how much time – 8 minutes? We gotta win the game. We didn’t.”
The heartbreak in those words is matched by the obviousness of what the Cavs missed. They had been up by as much as 22 points in the fourth quarter with what Mitchell estimated as about 8 minutes left—time that should have been enough to close a game out, even when the opponent is pushing.
There’s still room for Cleveland to regroup. The series format is the first to four, and the Cavs have shown they can bounce back when their backs are against the wall. For now, the hope is that this loss—this particular kind of late collapse—doesn’t follow them into the rest of the Knicks series.
To stop that from happening, Cleveland will have to find the same tone it showed in the first three quarters: the intensity, the control, and the ability to sustain pressure before the game turns into a possession-by-possession test.
Cleveland Cavaliers New York Knicks Donovan Mitchell James Harden playoffs clutch shooting overtime
Mitchell been cooking until it’s time to not choke I guess. 😂
I don’t even get why people keep blaming Harden. Like Mitchell clearly bricked more in clutch? If you’re up 22 with 8 minutes left you HAVE to close. Coaches gotta call different plays or whatever.
The headline says “Mitchell can’t hide” but I feel like Harden is the only one anybody watches. Also when it says 6-for-17 and 5-for-23 I’m like… is that total shots the whole overtime too or just regular time? Either way going cold at the end is brutal. Knicks probably just got lucky, happens.
Up 22 and then goes to overtime?? That’s not clutch, that’s just bad. And Mitchell saying “should’ve won” like yeah no kidding, I’m sure the refs were tired or something lol. I swear it’s always the fourth quarter and then everyone pretends it’s “momentum” like they didn’t blow it. This playoff gonna be messy if they keep doing that.