Donovan Mitchell Leads Cavaliers to Eastern Conference Semis

The former Louisville standout and star Cleveland guard had one of the best two-game stretches in NBA Playoffs history.

Matthew McGavic | May 5, 2024

May 3, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) handles the ball / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The opening round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs is now in the books, and with it, one former member of the Louisville men's basketball program is one step closer to winning a championship.

The fourth-seeded Cavaliers might have blown 2-0 and 3-2 series leads against the fifth-seeded Magic, but Cleveland was able to pull through in the final game seven against Orlando, punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference semifinals. It was their first playoff series win in six years.

Unsurprisingly, the Cavs were fueled mainly by former Cardinals standout and current NBA superstar Donovan Mitchell. Starting all seven games, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound shooting guard averaged 28.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists, while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and just 25.0 percent on three-point attempts.

In the final two games of the series, Mitchell scored 89 points, pouring in 50 points in game six and 39 points in game seven. It was the second-most points in games six and seven in a single-series in NBA history, trailing only 76ers legend and NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson's 90 points in the final two games of the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Milwaukee.

Currently in his seventh year in the NBA and second with Cleveland, Mitchell put together his fifth-straight NBA All-Star season. Playing and starting in 55 games during the regular season, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game, while putting up a 46.2/36.8/86.5 shooting split.

Cleveland will face the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semis, with game one set for Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. EST on TNT.

(Photo of Donovan Mitchell: Mike Watters - USA TODAY Sports)

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Published May 5, 2024

MATTHEW MCGAVIC

McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic