Donovan Mitchell Downplays Cavs' Success Before Playoffs, 'What Have We Truly Done?'

With the Cleveland Cavaliers' turnaround season in full swing, Donovan Mitchell is downplaying the team's success as they gear up for their playoff run.

“We are always going to be excited about what we are doing and the habits we are building. But at the end of day, what have we truly done? We have to go out there and prove it when it counts,” Mitchell said, per Andscape's Marc J. Spears.

The Cavaliers wrapped up their season with a 64-18 record—a significant leap from last year's 48-34 finish and their best mark since going 66-16 in 2008-09.

Now sitting atop the Eastern Conference with the second-best record in the league, Cleveland is eyeing its first NBA Finals appearance since 2017-18, when they were swept by the Golden State Warriors.

Still, Mitchell isn't buying into the hype just yet. While the regular-season success is notable, he emphasized that it doesn’t guarantee a championship, adding that he refuses to be “complacent” with what they’ve accomplished so far.

"I’ve been here similarly. Not the same exact thing. We were the 1-seed in Utah and injuries got in the way of that," Mitchell said, per Spears. "One thing I’ve learned is it doesn’t guarantee [a title]… There are so many things that can happen in an NBA season from season to season. So, I’m enjoying this. But yeah, there is a fire because you don’t want to give this opportunity up."

While securing the top seed in the East is a valuable advantage, it does not guarantee an easy path. The Cavaliers will face the 37-45 Miami Heat, a battle-tested squad that’s already played two postseason games in the play-in tournament. There is still plenty of work to be done.

"It’s definitely big time," Mitchell said about holding the No. 1 seed, per Spears. "But it doesn’t matter unless you play your best basketball at the right time. This is cool. This is nice. This is great, but it’s just really meaningless until we get (to the Finals). I don’t want to keep harping on that. I’m not trying to be negative. But this (No. 1 seed) don’t mean nothing. At the end of the day, keep playing your basketball, win games, and be ready when the time comes."

The Cavaliers will tip off their 2025 playoff run against the Heat on Sunday.