Donovan Mitchell Was in 'Shock' for Almost 3 Week After Cavs' Playoff Loss to Pacers

For the second time in as many seasons, the Cleveland Cavaliers exited the playoffs in the Eastern Conference semifinals in just five games.

The loss to the Indiana Pacers last year wasn't easy to recover from for star Donovan Mitchell.

"It was shocking for about another two-and-a-half, three weeks," Mitchell told Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "Waking up and not really having anything to do but watching life go on in the NBA. And you're just at home. But 'disbelief' or 'shock' is the word.

"Man, it took a while. You try. You think you're fine. And then you're like, 'Man, why am I sitting at home waiting, doing nothing?'"

The Cavs' second-round exit in 2025 was far more surprising than their exit in 2024. Cleveland was one of the best teams in basketball all year, posting a 64-18 record—its best since 2008-09—and earning the top seed in the East.

The Cavs had an MVP-caliber player in Mitchell, a valuable co-star in Darius Garland, the Defensive Player of the Year in Evan Mobley and the Coach of the Year in Kenny Atkinson. That wasn't enough to get past the Pacers.

Now, Mitchell and the Cavs head into the 2025-26 campaign with all of their starters from a season ago, and they'll look to do more than just succeed in the regular season.