INDIANAPOLIS — Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell will undergo an MRI on Monday after missing the second half of a blowout loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 on Sunday, but said he’s planning to play in Game 5 with Cleveland facing elimination.
“I will be good for Tuesday,” Mitchell said as part of a few brief remarks in the hallway outside the Cavs’ locker room following the 129-109 loss to the Pacers.
Mitchell appeared to sustain a lower leg injury at halftime, with the Cavs down by 41 points, when he came out of the locker room to warm up for the second half. He tried to shoot a 3-pointer, but apparently felt a shot of pain, limped to the locker room and didn’t return to the bench.
The team said it was a left ankle injury, but Mitchell had been battling a mild calf strain in this Eastern Conference semifinals. After initially being noncommittal as to what was hurt, Mitchell said it was an ankle injury and the MRI was to “check to make sure I’m good.”
“I’ll see you Tuesday,” said Mitchell, who was on his feet, without a walking boot or crutches or anything that would indicate something season ending (though the Pacers could take care of that for him with a win Tuesday).
Mitchell scored 133 points in Cleveland’s first three games but managed just 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting in 20 minutes in Game 4. The Pacers outscored the Cavs by 35 points with Mitchell on the court — one of about a dozen indicators of just how poorly it all went for them.
“Complete domination by them is really kind of the story,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said.
Donovan Mitchell is doubtful to return to Game 4 after suffering an ankle injury.
He was being looked at by staff during shoot around headed into the second half. pic.twitter.com/RTnGsqVGSV
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 12, 2025
The Cavs’ halftime deficit tied for the largest through two quarters in NBA playoff history. They committed 22 turnovers which led to 35 points for Indiana, and at halftime had more turnovers (14) than baskets (8).
Darius Garland, who is battling a toe injury, was Cleveland’s leading scorer with 21 points. The only shred of spirit the Cavs showed while both teams were playing their regular players was in the first quarter, when De’Andre Hunter responded to being punched in the chest by Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin by walking up to Mathurin with a finger in his face and two-hand shoving him to the ground.
Mathurin, not Hunter, was ejected from the game for the punch; Hunter and Myles Turner of the Pacers were given technicals.
The Pacers, who now have three chances to close out the No. 1 seed Cavs and advance to the conference finals for the second consecutive year, received 21 points from Pascal Siakam and 20 points apiece from Turner and Obi Toppin.
Cleveland won its first 15 games and spent the entire season in first place in the East, going back and forth with Oklahoma City for the best record in the NBA. The Cavs are now on the brink of becoming the third team to win at least 12 straight to open the season and fail to get to the finals.
“We got two out of the three next games at home. We’re great at home. (We) got to get the next one and see if we can come back here for Game 6,” Atkinson said.
Not only are the Cavs on the verge of being bounced out of the second round in five games for the second year in a row, but, depending on how the MRI goes Monday, Mitchell could be in street clothes for Cleveland’s last game for the second consecutive season.
Mitchell sustained a more severe calf strain and was out for the final two games of the conference semifinals last year against Boston. Calf strains are dangerous injuries because they can lead to Achilles tears; it’s fair to suspect doctors may look at Mitchell’s calf in imaging Monday to make sure something hasn’t worsened there.
“Right now we’re just gonna focus on us and who we have,” said Evan Mobley, who missed Game 2 with an ankle sprain and finished with 10 points and five rebounds on Sunday. “Hopefully (Mitchell is) good and he’ll be good for Game 5, but if not it will have to be whoever the next man up is.”
(Photo: Ron Hoskins / NBAE via Getty Images)