Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell hasn’t won a championship, and he feels the atmosphere around the team suggests he must win one soon after huge moves before the February trade deadline.
The Cavs added more firepower to their squad as they look to finish the regular season strong, trading Darius Garland and a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden.
The deal is paying off big time, as the Cavs have yet to lose in four games with the 2018 MVP in the lineup. They have won their last six games .
Being paired with a top player like “The Beard,” according to Mitchell, says a lot about their status as a contender. He said he does not feel any pressure, but he acknowledges a sense of urgency.
“As far as the pressure, obviously there is a sense of urgency. It’s like, hey you know, when you add a guy who is just as hungry as the group. The way it was last year, it was us or OKC. So now how do you respond?” he said in an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio before their game against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.
“I am not gonna say there is added pressure, but there is a sense of urgency."
He then offered an interesting take on how this year feels like a “go big or go home” moment for both of them.
"This may be one of my last opportunities, maybe James [Harden’s] last opportunity. We understand what’s ahead of us, we understand what’s in front of us," he continued.
Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
The Cavs came close to the title last year, finishing the regular season with the best overall record. However, they stumbled in the second round of the playoffs and were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in five games.
They brought back the core of the team — Mitchell, Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen — but their start to the season was not what they expected.
They are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 35–21 record, just 1.5 games behind the No. 2 Boston Celtics.