Will this be the year that Donovan Mitchell makes it past the second round of the playoffs?
With the addition of James Harden to the Cavaliers’ roster, this is the best chance Donovan Mitchell has had at a lengthy postseason run.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts after an assist during the second half of an NBA game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, March 30, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News This year, Donovan Mitchell will make his 9th playoff appearance. Despite having been to the playoffs nine times, he’s yet to make it past the second round.
He’s never played in a conference finals — Western or Eastern. So, the big questions are, is this the year he makes it out? Was the Cleveland Cavaliers’ trade deadline acquisition of James Harden the missing piece?
And, does it weigh on Mitchell that he hasn’t reached a conference final? You’ve probably heard every coach say something to the effect of, “we want to be playing our best basketball heading into the playoffs. ” They all say it, because that’s the ideal way to enter the postseason.
But that classic saying isn’t just about a team playing efficiently. It’s about being healthy, about a collective confidence and belief, about all of the intangibles that take a team from good, to great. I wondered if Mitchell had ever walked into the playoffs, feeling like he and his team were ready in the fullest sense — with the Utah Jazz or the Cavs.
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