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'Shoot, Shoot, Shoot' Donovan Mitchell's message to Darius Garland is simple before Game 6
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- 'Shoot, Shoot, Shoot' Donovan Mitchell's message to Darius Garland is simple before Game 6
CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell doesn't "give a damn" about anything else — he wants Darius Garland to shoot the ball.
End of story. Put it on repeat. Keep going to that well. Mitchell wants Garland taking more shots.
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He isn't alone in the Cavaliers locker room .
Garland wasn't much of a factor in the first four games of the Cavaliers' opening-round series against the Orlando Magic, which they now lead 3-2 after a wild, 104-103 win Tuesday night in Game 5 largely thanks to Evan Mobley's clutch block in the closing seconds .
Garland, who earlier this season was eating all his meals through a straw after jaw surgery , scored 15 or fewer points in the first four games of the series and averaged just 12, becoming somewhat of an afterthought on the offensive end.
Then, he went on the offensive in Game 5, pouring in 17 points in an explosive first quarter as the Cavaliers built a double-digit lead. He ended with 23 points as Mitchell — and, to a surprising extent, Marcus Morris Sr. — picked up the scoring burden in the second half.
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But Garland's Game 5 outburst was something the Cavs had been waiting to see. And they want to see more of it in Friday's Game 6 in Orlando, where they have a chance to close out the Magic and the series.
That has been Mitchell's message to Garland recently: "Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. I don't give a damn."
"At the end of the day, go out swinging, and there's a different spark we get when he's like that. You see it," Mitchell said after the Game 5 win. "Obviously I've set the tones in Games 1 and 2, but there's a different spark, too, when he's continuing to go. And I think that's huge for us."
For a few minutes in Game 5, Garland took over the game. And while his scoring production slowed after that, his impact on the Cavaliers offense didn't. Garland being that much of a threat isn't a positive to the Cavs only in how many points he scores. His ability to drop 30-plus on any given night when he's shooting well forces defenses to apply more pressure to him, which can open things up for Mitchell and Co.
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"It changes the game because of the gravity it creates," said Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff. "You're not going to guard him one on one anymore, right? You're going to put two guys on him … And with the amount of offensive talent we have on the floor … we are able to generate good looks."
Cavaliers hope Darius Garland's scoring output continues into Game 6 in Orlando
Apr 30, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) argues a call during the first half against the Orlando Magic in game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Just like they were in the regular season, the Magic have been a drastically different team at home as opposed to on the road. The Cavs, with a 3-2 lead, have their work cut out of them to avoid a Game 7, which would be Sunday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — if necessary.
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In an effort to open up the offense, Mitchell hopes Garland is able to keep the pressure on right from tip-off.
"That's my dog, man," Mitchell said of Garland. "And it's crazy to say but he could have shot more [in Game 5], to be honest with you. That's the mindset."
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com. Follow him on Threads at @ByRyanLewis .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs' Donovan Mitchell gives message to Darius Garland ahead of Game 6
