Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell says he can finally “breathe a little bit” after reaching the NBA Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in his career.
Mitchell achieved the feat in his eighth NBA season after the Cleveland Cavaliers thrashed the Detroit Pistons 125-94 in Game 7 to seal a 4-3 series victory in the second round of the playoffs.
The former Utah Jazz guard delivered a standout performance in Detroit, leading all scorers with 26 points while adding six rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes.
Teammates Sam Merrill and Jarrett Allen added 23 points each as Cleveland booked a highly anticipated Eastern Conference Finals clash against the New York Knicks.
Reflecting on finally breaking through to the Conference Finals, Mitchell admitted the achievement brought a sense of relief.
“Even last year, when we lost to Indiana, we had our goals set on getting to the Finals. We’re just one step closer but yeah, it’s been almost a decade of running into the same issue. So for sure, I personally, and as a team, we can breathe a little bit,” Mitchell said.
Despite the milestone, the Cavaliers star insisted the team’s focus remains firmly on winning the championship.
“We can only breathe for about 12 hours and then get right back to it,” he added.
