Donovan Mitchell, Cavs leaning on belief ahead of Game 2

The thing about these Cavaliers is they just keep getting back up. Even after the type of loss that can wreck a team mentally.

That was the theme of ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin’s deep dive into the Cavs following the stunning Game 1 collapse against the Knicks — a game in which Cleveland blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead before falling 115-104 in overtime.

According to McMenamin, the mood inside the visitors’ locker room at Madison Square Garden afterward was exactly what you’d expect. Silence. Shock. Thousand-yard stares. But Donovan Mitchell made it clear that he still believes in this group.

“It has been worth it,” Mitchell told ESPN. “I would do it again in a heartbeat with this group, just because it’s been a pleasure to come into work while being able to deal with the ups and the downs.

“It’s not always the case to have such a great group while dealing with the playoff struggles … This group is great because we didn’t just come here to be like, ‘Hey! [We made it].’ You know what I’m saying? But we built to that point, right? I think I don’t know what that’s like four years ago. If we get to the conference four years ago, are we just excited to be there? I don’t know.”

Mitchell added that the Cavs aren’t satisfied just reaching the Eastern Conference finals. He said there’s now an expectation level around the team, and part of his job has been helping younger players such as Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen understand the pressure that comes with real contention.

McMenamin also detailed how far the franchise has come since LeBron James left in 2018, when one team source admitted the organization was “rooted in the culture of LeBron” and essentially had to start over after he departed.

“When LeBron left, we just fell flat on our faces because we just weren’t rooted in anything,” the source said. “We weren’t rooted in anything foundational in terms of culture or team-building or player development.

“We were just rooted in the culture of LeBron.”

That rebuild eventually led to Mobley, Allen and finally Mitchell, whom one team source credited with completely changing the trajectory of the franchise.

The story also touched on Cleveland’s aggressive trade-deadline push for James Harden, with coach Kenny Atkinson saying the Cavs needed an “infusion” of toughness and experience for the postseason.

Now comes the hard part.

The Cavs are no longer rebuilding. As McMenamin wrote, the expectation inside the organization is championships, not simply being happy to still be playing in May.