Louisville Report

Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers Sweeps Heat to Reach Eastern Conference Semis

The former Louisville standout and star Cleveland guard is one step closer to a championship.

Matthew McGavic

Apr 26, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) dribbles the basketball as Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) defends in the first quarter during game three for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Apr 26, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) dribbles the basketball as Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) defends in the first quarter during game three for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - One former member of the Louisville men's basketball program is one step closer to winning an NBA championship.

Kicking off the opening round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the top-seeded Cavaliers proved to be an unstoppable force against the eighth-seeded Heat. Cleveland pulled off a 4-0 sweep over Miami, punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Cavs outscored the Heat by a combined 122 points in the series, setting a new NBA Playoffs record.

Unsurprisingly, the Cavs were fueled mainly by former Cardinals standout and current NBA superstar Donovan Mitchell. Starting all four games, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound shooting guard averaged 23.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 45.7 percent on three-point attempts.

Currently in his eighth year in the NBA and third with Cleveland, Mitchell put together his sixth-straight NBA All-Star season. Playing and starting in 71 games during the regular season, he averaged 24.0 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game, while putting up a 44.3/36.8/82.3 shooting split.

Cleveland will likely face the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers, as they currently hold a 3-1 series lead over the fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off times for the Eastern Conference Semifinals will be announced at a later date.

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(Photo of Sam Navarro: Sam Navarro - Imagn Images)

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Matthew McGavic
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

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