Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers won 64 games during the regular season, captured the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and had two winning streaks of at least 15 games.

Mitchell, visibly deflated by the postseason exit, said going down 2-0 in the series left them in a precarious situation of having to chase an Indiana team that was brimming with confidence. In the end, the Pacers, which made the conference finals last season, were far more experienced and composed than the Cavs were.