Donovan Mitchell Refuses To Dwell on His Poor Shooting Night in Game 6 vs. Pistons

Donovan Mitchell shot 6-for-20 in a pivotal Game 6 against the Detroit Pistons.

May 15, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) during the first half in game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t get the Donovan Mitchell that they desperately wanted to close out the series against the Detroit Pistons.

And as a result, the Pistons took the 115-94 win, and both teams now prepare for their second straight Game 7 this postseason.

Detroit’s edge in the hustle categories proved decisive. They dominated the offensive glass, turning 13 offensive rebounds into 20 second-chance points, while also capitalizing on mistakes by the Cavaliers. Cleveland committed 20 turnovers, and Detroit converted those miscues into 28 points, helping swing momentum throughout the game.

James Harden led the way with 23 points, but even with those damaging stats, another 20-point game could have made Game 6 more competitive, and that would have had Mitchell’s name itched all over it. But he dropped 18 points on 6-for-20 shooting on a night to forget, and refuses to dwell on this showing.

“I missed shots tonight. Do I think some of them were tougher shots than I could have got? Sure. I could say that about every game,” Mitchell said.

“So I'm not here to look at the fact that I missed shots. It's just the overall force and impact of the game to not miss shots. I've been making them most every game this series, and tonight I didn't, so I'm not worried about that.

“We missed an opportunity. But I can't do nothing. We can't do anything about it. We gotta go out there and win on the road.”

Mitchell didn’t show up, and it cost the Cavs

Mitchell has regressed over the last two games, carrying his struggles from Game 5 into tonight’s performance. He had little success inside the arc, going just 4-for-14 on two-point attempts while settling for tough floaters rather than attacking the rim and drawing fouls.

Mitchell also finished with just three assists against three turnovers. His playmaking production has dropped significantly from the regular season, with his assists per game cut in half during the playoffs.

He hasn’t even matched that regular-season average in a single postseason game yet, and that’s not a formula the Cavaliers can rely on if they want sustained success.

It marked a series low in points and Mitchell’s sixth straight Game 6 loss, which stretches back to his time with the Utah Jazz in 2020.

Here's a look at Mitchell's game-by-game numbers, calculated by Jack Maloney (CBS Sports)

• Game 1: 23 points (9 of 19 FG, 4 of 10 3FG), four rebounds, two assists, three turnovers

• Game 2: 31 points (11 of 24 FG, 2 of 9 3FG), six rebounds, three assists, two turnovers

• Game 3: 35 points (13 of 24 FG, 2 of 8 3FG), 10 rebounds, four assists, three turnovers

• Game 4: 43 points (13 of 26 FG, 4 of 12 3FG), five rebounds, two assists, one turnover

• Game 5: 21 points (7 of 18 FG, 1 of 8 3FG), four rebounds, three assists, two turnovers

• Game 6: 18 points (6 of 20 FG, 2 of 6 3FG), four rebounds, three assists, three turnovers

Series averages: 28.5 points (45% FG, 28.3% 3FG), 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.3 turnovers