
The Cleveland Cavaliers failed to close out their playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, with Donovan Mitchell struggling significantly, scoring only 18 points. The team now faces a decisive Game 7 to determine their playoff fate.
*18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers* The Cavs are waiting for Mitchell to be a superhero again. He took a giant step backwards in the last two games, struggling in Game 5 and bringing that into tonight. He couldnât find any luck inside the arch, shooting 4-14 on two-point attempts and opting for difficult floaters instead of drawing contact to get to the line. Mitchell had 3 assists and 3 turnovers tonight. His assists per game have been cut in half since the regular season, and heâs yet to even hit that average in a single playoff game. Thatâs not sustainable for long-term success. ***Grade:* F**
Donovan Mitchell scored 18 points, had 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 turnovers in Game 6.
The Cavaliers lost Game 6 due to poor performances from key players, particularly Donovan Mitchell, who struggled to score effectively.
Game 7 is crucial for the Cavaliers as it will determine whether they advance in the playoffs or are eliminated by the Pistons.
James Harden scored 23 points, along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists, but also had 8 turnovers in Game 6.




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*23 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 8 turnovers* Hardenâs isolation scoring and foul-drawing have gone a long way to ensuring the Cavs never fully let go of the rope. Heâs stabilized them throughout the postseason, even if his carelessness with the ball can contribute to some of their opponentâs runs. The Cavs leaned on Harden in the third quarter. He repeatedly got to the line and put Cleveland in the bonus with five minutes remaining. That extra effort is the only reason the Cavs lost that quarter by 11 points instead of 20 or more. Ultimately, this team wasnât built for Harden to carry them. Heâs supposed to be the cherry on top. Other players needed to step up. ***Grade:* D**
*18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks* Mobley will get dinged for the things he didnât do tonight, but truthfully, he gave enough for them to win this game. His all-around impact was comparable to the previous two games, with Mobley contesting shots and racking up four stocks. On offense, he was aggressive, going towards the basket and got to the line eight times. He only made half of his attempts from the charity stripe, so we can knock him for that. But most of the problems that plagued the Cavs tonight were not Mobleyâs fault. ***Grade:* C+**
*13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block* Allen, for the most part, did his job tonight. It wasnât anything phenomenal, but he cleaned the glass and protected the rim while finishing nearly every touch given to him on offense. The Cavs could have used a more active game from him on either end of the floor, though there was nothing too out of the ordinary here. Allen was solid. ***Grade:* C**
*3 points, 3 rebounds* Wade finally hit a shot for the first time since Game 3, attempting two triples in a span of 30 seconds and connecting on one from the corner. In typical Wade fashion, he didnât take another shot the rest of the night. Heâs truly tested the limits of how often you can play a player who refuses to look at the basket on offense. ***Grade:* D**
*6 points, 8 rebounds* Strus gives as much effort as anyone in the NBA. His non-stop hustle contributed to some of the most important plays of the night. He grabbed 8 rebounds, 3 offensive, and worked relentlessly to get under Cade Cunninghamâs skin. A better shooting night (2-7 from deep) would have made this another classic game from Strus. ***Grade:* B**â
*0 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers* Schroder had 3 turnovers in his first six minutes tonight, including a double-dribble and traveling violation. You canât afford those types of mistakes in a closeout game. ***Grade:* D**
*10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist* Merrill looked like he was going to find his stride tonight. He connected on two of his first three three-point attempts and even got downhill for a tough layup in the third quarter. But Merrill missed his next two three-point attempts and wasnât able to help the Cavs when they were being pounded on the defensive glass. ***Grade:* C**â