Dwight Howard mocks Donovan Mitchell as Cavaliers star’s wait for maiden conference finals appearance prolongs
Hall of Fame-bound big man Dwight Howard took a playful jab at Donovan Mitchell on Wednesday, following the Cavaliers star’s rough shooting night in Cleveland’s 114-105 Game 5 loss to the Indiana Pacers — a defeat that ended their playoff run.
In the fourth quarter, with the Pacers leading 106-100 and 2:23 left on the clock, Mitchell was fouled on a three-point attempt but shockingly missed all three free throws. That moment prompted a humorous reaction from Howard, who posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“Donovan them shoes too tight ! 😂”
Shortly after the missed free throws, Mitchell responded by drilling a 3 to close the gap to 106-103. However, Indiana countered with a decisive 8-2 run to close out the game and punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals.
The loss prolongs Donovan Mitchell’s wait for his first-ever conference finals appearance — a fact highlighted by former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins.
Despite playing key roles on top-seeded teams with both the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers, Mitchell has yet to break through to the East or West Finals.
Mitchell scored 35 points in Game 5, but his night was hampered by inefficiency, going just 8-for-25 and 4-for-13 from long range. He did get to the stripe 21 times, sinking 15.
Was Donovan Mitchell to blame for Cleveland’s semifinal exit?
The Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up the regular season with the Eastern Conference’s best record and enjoyed two separate 15-game win streaks.
But injuries to key contributors — Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter — left Cleveland short-handed against Indiana, forcing Donovan Mitchell to carry a heavier load.
In the series, Mitchell put up averages of 34.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists, but his efficiency dropped — shooting 42.4% overall and just 24.5% from 3. That’s down from his regular-season marks of 44.3% overall and 36.8% from beyond the arc.
Still, Mitchell wasn’t the main culprit in the Cavs’ elimination. Cleveland shot just 38.9% from the floor in Game 5 and connected on only 25.7% of their 3s.
Now, with another early playoff exit, questions loom over Cleveland’s core. Despite a dominant regular season, the team once again fell short in the playoffs — and they’re widely expected to explore the trade market in search of reinforcements.
