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Mitchell Lifts Cavs Past Grizzlies as Identity Questions Deepen

The win highlighted a three-heavy attack that rarely reaches the rim, plus a rotation unsettled by injuries.

Overview

  • Donovan Mitchell scored 14 fourth-quarter points to close out a 108-100 win over Memphis, reinforcing how often his late shot-making is carrying Cleveland.
  • Cleveland is attempting threes at a league-high rate yet sits 20th in percentage and has been near the bottom in attempts at the rim.
  • Players and coaches acknowledged the search for a new blueprint, with Mitchell urging the team to “let last year go” and Evan Mobley describing only brief “flashes” of their best form.
  • After opening the season by featuring Mobley as a primary initiator, the Cavaliers largely reverted to his prior role about five games into the experiment.
  • Injuries to Darius Garland and Max Strus continue to disrupt continuity, feeding lineup uncertainty and an offense and defense that lack consistent identity.