Donovan Mitchell doesn’t agree with two lane violation calls, wants Cavaliers to keep building

Donovan Mitchell doesn’t agree with two lane violation calls, wants Cavaliers to keep building

You we kind of put ourselves behind the eightball to start the game you know second half we played really good basketball did a lot of good things um you know I think the biggest thing for us is just the start of the game came out sluggish they came out you know then

We knew that you know they lost to Detroit you know and then to have the two guys come and kind of rejuvenize themselves and kind of get that energy um you know we weren’t we didn’t come out ready for it you know but the come

Back we made effort to come back but we didn’t end up closing it you mentioned the effort to come back and just talking with the same he kind of just kept saying the word resiliency that’s the theme of this group is that what it was feeling like out there as you guys are

Coming back no I think that’s the biggest thing it’s just continuing to fight but you know we have a group that’s not satisfied with just cutting it close you know my bad just cutting it close that we wanted that one you know there’s some shots we all missed you

Know some shots I missed some plays I down the stret that I hold myself accountable for you know and I think that’s it’s ob one my job but also like you know that’s what that’s what um team looks me for so there’s so many different things we can look at but

Ultimately you’re down was it 20 19 oh than like you know it’s hard you know we fought we came back but we don’t want to just fight and come back we want to you know win these games how big was Sam in what he did in the 17 minutes 16 points

Yeah you know outside of just the scoring he’s getting rebounds excuse me meeting guys at The Rim um being a rim protector um he does a lot for us man he’s he’s he’s resilient you know he’s a guy that’s a fighter and you know I think for us you know continue to use

Him as that spark you know team’s got to account for him um and he’s you know he’s talented hey and what type of luxury is it to have Caris come off the bench with 31 and Sam was just saying sometimes you guys have no idea of what

He’s going to do he just surprises you out there yeah you know and I think that’s what you you need need that on the team you need a guy can just go you know and this kind of get into his Zone like he has been and he’s been in that

Way you know for the past few games and we’re going to continue to use that you know and um you know I think the biggest thing now is just you know when when he’s out there kind of letting him go letting him flow and you know kind of

Playing off that it seemed like after the second lane violation you had a conversation with the official what explanation did you get I said I went early but I made it a point to when it hit the backboard and it went to the left you know to to not go early I feel

Like I didn’t I haven’t seen the play um I don’t know what y’all think I haven’t looked at it but you know I feel like I’m right I could be wrong you know but I feel like I’m right you know I feel like I waited you know intentionally and

On top of that pretty sure Max got the rebound um you know so it worked um like I told y last year I practiced those you know so it wasn’t anything different but for me it it that was that was tough I I don’t I didn’t agree but shouldn’t have come down to

That but don’t agree have you ever been called for two in a row like that I’ve been called for one in Brooklyn last year um I think it was Brooklyn uh but never two in a row um you know the first one I I left early you know definitely

Did but the second one you know I don’t think you call that I I that’s tough to me so what do you make Donovan of your guys offensive Evolution during this stretch where you’re trying to play a different kind of style you know it’s just you know you have different guys

Who do different things you look at the difference between last year you know outside of just the shooting you know you have you know Max and George and Sam you know and Craig as well coming in and people don’t really people didn’t know you know how much they can provide for

Us offensively so now you have that label as a shooter but now you’re getting into the paint creating playing basketball just thinking the game that’s what they you know bring to us and I think you know obviously I don’t think any of us saw Craig coming out to be

This but Craig is you know a big part of that you know but Max George Sam for sure they’ve been on Championship level teams uh bringing that to us outside of the guys we already have um you know it’s no it’s it’s not surprising to us that guys are succeeding in these roles

And contining to thrive but you know um we’re going to have games like that we’re going have games like Dallas we come back and win we’re going have games like tonight where we fall short But continuing to build you know that’s what I’ve you know I talked about all the

Years just continuing to build and you know have a foundation of what we’re doing how do you assess the uh final four minutes the offensive execution there they did a good job of you know pushing the stuff out making it tough you know like I said um there are

Different things that I could have done there we miss some open shots you know that’s part of the game but we got stops man we got to stop we put ourselves in the position to succeed and you know fortunately shots a’t going but you know we’ll fix it and we’ll be

Better last question Donan uh what’s it been like having Tristan on your team this season what has he brought to this organization this team energy you know he’s a guy that you know coming out there and obviously he knows the energy on the boards you know but also Just

Energy Good Vibes you know I think that’s it’s a big thing every day is a good day for Tristan you know what I’m saying then I think we that energy you know you you feel that around you know the locker room you know I think and

He’s a guy that’s been there it’s won a championship has seen it so you know there are days where he holds us accountable there are days where it’s like you know breathe you know it’s a long season so um you need a guy like that who’s been there we have a lot of

Faith in him a lot of trust and you know happy to have him

Cavs star Donovan Mitchell talks to reporters after the team’s 124-121 loss to the Raptors.