ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Donovan Mitchell looked down at the stat sheet, slowly shook his head in amazement and then chose his words carefully.
The Cleveland star seemed less surprised that he scored 50 points in a to Orlando on Friday night than the fact the Cavaliers scored 66 points in the paint but only shot 10 free throws.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 crazy,鈥� Mitchell said, though he stressed that wasn鈥檛 the reason the Cavs failed to close out their first-round series against Magic.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not an excuse,鈥� he repeated.
鈥淚t鈥檚 over with. We didn鈥檛 win the game,鈥� Mitchell went on to say. 鈥淎nd the end of the day, I had 50 but we lost.鈥�
Still hobbled by a right ankle injury, Mitchell made 22 of 36 shots, scoring many of his points by driving to the basket after being forced off the 3-point line.
The Cavs missed 13 of 14 3-pointers in the first half. Mitchell misfired on his first four and finished 3 of 9 from beyond the arc.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 hit a 3 to save my life. Got to do something, just trying to find my opportunities to attack,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here were times I even settled. I am not mad at the nine 3s, but still can find ways to get into the paint and create.鈥�
With Cleveland holding a 3-2 series lead after winning Games 1, 2 and 5 at home but dropping Games 3 and 4 in Orlando by a combined 61 points, Mitchell entered Game 6 determined to attack.
鈥淏e aggressive 鈥� just try to continue to force my way into the game,鈥� Mitchell said.
鈥淚t hasn鈥檛 been the best series for me, but especially a game like this, I felt like I did a solid job of that," he added. "Just trying to find ways to make my imprint on the game. That was the mindset, just come out and try to put them away.鈥�
Mitchell had 19 points in the first half and 32 heading into the fourth quarter. He scored Cleveland鈥檚 final 22 points, including all 18 in the fourth quarter, and was the only Cav to score over the final 14 minutes.
鈥淣o one overreacted to what he was doing. Obviously he鈥檚 a special, special player to be able to have 50 and only make three 3s,鈥� Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.
Game 7 is Sunday.
鈥淲e missed open looks. It happens. It鈥檚 unfortunate that鈥檚 in the fourth quarter, but that鈥檚 irrelevant now,鈥� Mitchell said. "We have to go back home and take care of business.鈥�
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Fred Goodall, The Associated Press
