Donovan Mitchell's Free Throw Drought Is Getting Worse, and He's Not Holding Back About Why
Donovan Mitchell just dropped 23 points in Cleveland's 111-101 loss to Detroit in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series, but he's clearly frustrated about something that's eating at him way more than the final score: he's barely getting to the free throw line, and he's got a theory about it.
"I don't flop, maybe that's why," Mitchell said Tuesday night when asked why his free throw attempts have dried up in the playoffs compared to the regular season.
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Here's where it gets wild. Mitchell averaged 6.1 free throw attempts per game during the regular season. In Cleveland's first-round series against Toronto, he made 16 trips to the line over seven games. But against Detroit on Tuesday? Two attempts. Two.
And it gets worse. Mitchell just ended his NBA-record streak of scoring 30-plus points in nine straight series openers. The loss to the Pistons snapped that run, and now he's left wondering if the officiating is playing a role in his early playoff struggles.
Mitchell's Frustration Is Real
"I'm just not getting the calls. I don't know why. I don't flop, maybe that's why," Mitchell explained. "And this isn't just a tonight thing. This has been the entire series, and it's frustrating a little bit, but because I'm such a dynamic driver, right? But I can't control that. So if they're not gonna call it for me, I gotta find a way to finish and do that."
Coach Kenny Atkinson backed his star player but offered a different angle. "I'm just going to continue to plead with him to get to the paint, get to the rim. That's all you can do. That's all you control. You know, we just got to keep driving the ball. You meet aggressiveness with aggressiveness, and then we got to make the right reads."
Game 2 is coming, and Mitchell will need to figure this out fast. The Pistons aren't letting up, and if the Cavs can't get their best player attacking the rim consistently, this series could slip away quick.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.