How One Pistons Defender Masterfully Shut Down Donovan Mitchell in Game 6

Donovan Mitchell has carved a niche for himself as a consistent playoff participant, yet the elusive conference finals continue to slip through his grasp. This narrative held true on Friday as the Cleveland Cavaliers faced a crushing 115-94 defeat at the hands of the Detroit Pistons. The loss, which unfolded during Game 6 of their second-round series, breathed new life into Detroit’s playoff run, setting the stage for a decisive Game 7 showdown on Sunday in Detroit.

While Mitchell wasn’t solely to blame for the Cavaliers’ first home playoff loss, his performance was a glaring factor. The game underscored his patchy form this postseason and a recurring struggle in Game 6 situations. Remarkably, Mitchell has lost six consecutive Game 6 encounters, including four potential series-clinchers, starting with his time with the Utah Jazz in the 2020 playoff bubble.

In Friday’s game, Mitchell logged 37 minutes on the court, yet his contribution fell short of expectations. He managed more shot attempts than points, equaled his assists with turnovers, and ended with a minus-25 in the plus/minus column—the lowest of any Cavalier. His final tally read 18 points, shooting 6 of 20 overall and 2 of 6 from beyond the arc, alongside four rebounds, three assists, and three turnovers. This marked the third instance in 13 playoff games where he was restricted to under 20 points and shot below 40%.

Addressing the media post-game, Mitchell reflected, “I can’t dwell on it, you know what I mean? I missed shots tonight. Sure, some were tougher than others, but that’s the nature of the game. I’m not here to focus on missed opportunities. It’s about the overall impact. Tonight, I didn’t deliver as I have in other games this series, but I’m not worried about that. There’s more to it than just shots.”

He continued, acknowledging the missed chance, “But yeah, we missed an opportunity. We can’t change that now. We just need to go out and secure a win on the road.”

Mitchell’s inconsistent series

Despite an erratic first-round performance against the Toronto Raptors, Mitchell’s struggles in this series against the Pistons have been particularly pronounced. As the Cavaliers prepare for a do-or-die Game 7, the spotlight remains firmly on Mitchell to rediscover his form and steer his team towards a long-awaited conference finals berth.

• 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

Even within games, Mitchell has been up and down. In Game 4, he had four points on 1 of 8 shooting in the first half and 39 points on 12 of 18 shooting in the second half. 

Ausar Thompson, one of the best and most versatile defenders in the league, deserves a ton of credit for the work he’s done to slow down Mitchell. He’s been shadowing him all series and using his length, athleticism and physicality to make Mitchell fight for everything, even just to catch the ball sometimes. Notably, on the very first possession of Game 6, Mitchell was called for an offensive foul for trying to shed Thompson. 

Per the NBA’s tracking data, Thompson had guarded Mitchell on 117 possessions in the first five games of this series, and Mitchell scored 15 points on 4 of 19 shooting, including 1 of 11 from 3-point range, and has turned the ball over three times. Tracking data can be wonky at times, but those numbers are stark. 

Mitchell, to no surprise, said he hasn’t been bothered by Thompson, nor does he feel worn down from dealing with the constant pressure. However, it’s worth noting that his last two showings have been his worst of the series. And, outside of Game 4, he’s shooting 32.4% in the fourth quarter, including 3 of 13 in the last two games. 

Regardless of individual matchups, Mitchell has also really struggled to finish at the rim this series and has been ice-cold from 3-point range. Mitchell says he’s just missing shots, and there’s truth to that, but the Pistons’ physicality has been a real factor. 

Mitchell’s Game 6 misery

Mitchell has now lost six consecutive Game 6s, and while he was largely at fault for Friday’s defeat, that hasn’t always been the case. In fact, he’s often been a hard-luck loser. Notably, the Cavaliers lost Game 6 against the Magic in the first round in 2024 despite his 50-point effort, and they lost Game 6 to the Raptors earlier this postseason on an absurd buzzer-beating 3-pointer by RJ Barrett. 

Let’s take a closer look at Mitchell’s Game 6 history. 

The good news for Mitchell and the Cavs is that they still have another chance, and they already have experience this postseason with a Game 7. 

How can Mitchell bounce back in Game 7?

Yes, Thompson has done an excellent job as the primary defender on Mitchell. Yes, Mitchell hasn’t shot the ball well even when he’s gotten clean looks. And yes, Mitchell’s inconsistency has been frustrating. But he’s had three 30-point games in this series and is still one of the most talented scorers in the league. 

It’s not inconceivable that he could have a big night in Game 7 and lead the Cavaliers to victory, but it will take a concerted effort from him and the team — and perhaps some help from the officials on how the game’s called. 

“Getting him in the open court more where they can’t get their hands on him,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said, when asked how the team can get Mitchell going. “When it’s in the halfcourt, it’s clutch, grab, hold. We gotta get him in space, in the open court — kick aheads, kick acrosses, all that. But that was a logjam tonight. All of us, we had a tough time getting free. At the end of the day, that’s on us. This is how the game’s being called, we have to adjust.”

So far in the playoffs, the Cavaliers are 4-1 when Mitchell scores 30-plus points and 3-5 when he does not. He’ll likely have to get to that number, and maybe even higher, in order for the Cavaliers to win Game 7 on the road and advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018. 

“Everything you want is on the other side of hard. Nothing good comes easy,” Mitchell said. “That’s how you have to look at it. We could sit here and dwell on this and carry that into Sunday, but what’s that gonna do for us?”