Getty Head coach Quin Snyder of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Tuesday’s road game against the Atlanta Hawks on a relative high. The Cavs had won four straight, clinched a playoff berth for the first time in five years, and had one of the easiest schedules remaining.
Perhaps the playoff celebrations lingered a bit too far into the night over the weekend. Aside from Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who combined for 71 points, the Cavaliers looked flat most of the game, which resulted in a 120-118 loss.
But the game was nonetheless an opportunity for Mitchell to reconnect with Quin Snyder, his former coach with the Jazz who now heads up the Hawks.
“Our relationship — it’s funny, I used to hear when people talk about college, in the NBA, you don’t get to connect with the player or mentor a player, whatever the case may be,” Snyder said postgame, per Kelsey Russo of The Athletic.
But Snyder noted that he and Mitchell are still close, having forged a “special bond” in Salt Lake City.
“Donovan and I were together a long time, longer than a player I’ve ever coached in college. In particular, when he came to the league, we grew together. And there is a special bond that develops as a result of that.”
Snyder and Mitchell represented the Utah Jazz for five seasons before going their separate ways last summer. And each season resulted in a playoff appearance for the coach and player.
Donovan Mitchell Praises Quin Snyder After Cavaliers Loss
For Mitchell, Snyder is the one who nurtured and developed the fringe lottery pick into a four-time All-Star.
“I owe him a lot,” Mitchell said of Snyder. “I’m forever grateful of Quin Snyder. He’s a hell of a coach and is going to have a lot of success here in Atlanta. […] He’s a guy that literally gave me the ball and trusted in me, in a 20-year-old, 21-year-old who didn’t prove anything yet, just went out there and tried to continue to climb. When you have someone like that who trusts you, I’m forever grateful. And he really helped me get to be the player that I am today.”
Mitchell showed signs of growth in each of his first five seasons with the Jazz. But for all of the team’s regular season success — the Jazz never won fewer than 44 games while Mitchell was rostered — they never could translate it into postseason wins. Mitchell’s Jazz were bounced from the playoffs in either the first or second round time and time again.
Now, Mitchell will be navigating an inexperienced Cavaliers team to the playoffs, a knock that has left many to put a ceiling on Cleveland’s postseason chances.
Donovan Mitchell Sounds Off on Cavaliers’ Experience
The three teams ahead of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference standings all bring a wealth of postseason experience. The Bucks won the Finals as recently as 2021. The Celtics represented the East in last year’s Finals against the Warriors. And the Sixers, for their repeated playoff disappointments, at least have stars in Joel Embiid and James Harden who have their own experience.
The Cavs? Not so much.
“Obviously, it’s no secret that we lack the experience,” Mitchell said, per Chris Fedor of cleveland.com. “When people talk, we’re not in their top 3 or whatever it is, and that’s fine, but the biggest thing for us is we believe we can not just make the playoffs but make a deep run. It’s all a learning experience and about continuing to get better, so, when we get to the playoffs, whatever seed we are, we’re ready.”
Nonetheless, Cleveland is one of just two teams with a top-ten defense and offense this season, usually a recipe for playoff success.