Donovan Mitchell, the Cleveland Cavaliers star, has expressed his frustration regarding the officiating during a game against the Detroit Pistons. Mitchell, known for his scoring, saw his streak of 30-plus point playoff-series openers come to an end during a 111-101 loss to the Pistons.
Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 23 points, but his usual scoring pace was hampered, in his view, by a lack of free-throw opportunities.
Mitchell’s Frustration With Foul Calls
Mitchell only attempted two free throws, a stark contrast to his regular-season average of 6.1 per game. He suggested a reason for the disparity: “I don’t flop, maybe that’s why.”
Mitchell elaborated, saying, “I’m just not getting the calls. I don’t know why. I don’t flop, maybe that’s why… This has been the entire series, and it’s frustrating a little bit, but because I’m such a dynamic driver, right? But I can’t control that. So if they’re not going to call it for me, I got to find a way to finish and do that.”
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson addressed the issue, carefully encouraging Mitchell to maintain his aggressive drives, with the expectation that the calls would eventually come.
Free Throw Disparity in the Game
The free-throw disparity between the two teams was significant. The Pistons attempted 35 free throws, while the Cavaliers only managed 16. This difference potentially played a role in the 10-point margin of victory.
Mitchell, however, did not attribute the loss solely to the free-throw discrepancy, stating it was “not why we lost.” Turnovers were a problem, with James Harden accounting for seven of the team’s 19.
Harden, in contrast to Mitchell, was successful in drawing fouls, going 9-for-9 on free-throw attempts and finishing with 22 points.
Playoff Officiating Under Scrutiny
Officiating has become a talking point during the NBA playoffs. Jaylen Brown was previously fined for criticising the officials following a Game 7 loss. Mitchell alluded to this, referencing a friend who “got fined for talking about flopping.”
Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard were also fined during a series against the Houston Rockets for “questioning the integrity of game officials.”
Coaches and players often try to influence officiating through their comments, hoping to gain an advantage later in the series.
Despite his frustration, Mitchell remains focused on finding ways to score, regardless of the foul calls.