Donovan Mitchell declared the Cleveland Cavaliers are operating within a championship window following the acquisition of James Harden, embracing the heightened expectations after Monday’s 119-117 comeback victory over the Denver Nuggets.
The Cavs trailed for nearly 43 minutes before rallying late on the road to secure their fourth consecutive win. Mitchell acknowledged the urgency created by adding the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer.
“You see what’s here. There’s a window. This is the window. This is the time,” Mitchell told cleveland.com. “In a sense, the team is going all in. It’s time to go. When you make that move, understanding James’ age and where he’s at in his career, the time is now.”
Mitchell expressed enthusiasm about the pressure accompanying Cleveland’s deadline moves, which sent Darius Garland to the LA Clippers in exchange for Harden. The Cavs also acquired Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. Mitchell reportedly urged the Cavaliers to take action ahead of the trade deadline, which meant breaking up their core to acquire Harden.
“I love the pressure of it. I love the expectation of it. I love the questions that have come from it,” Mitchell stated. “When you make that move, what are you making it for? To win a championship. That’s what it is. The organization is basically saying, this is the time. And I love it.”
The victory capped an exhausting 12-day, five-city trip with Cleveland climbing to fourth in the Eastern Conference at nine wins in their last 10 games. Mitchell and Harden combined for 25 of the team’s final 26 points, with Harden draining a game-tying three-pointer with 32.1 seconds remaining.
“We’re just hooping on vibes right now,” Mitchell said following the comeback.
Harden finished with six points, four rebounds and four assists in 10 fourth-quarter minutes. Cleveland posted a 142.0 offensive rating in the fourth quarter over its last two contests.
“There’s definitely a different energy,” center Jarrett Allen said. “Everybody feels a new energy and another belief that we can go even farther than we did last year.”