The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the postseason believing this could finally be the year the franchise returned to the NBA Finals. Instead, the season ended with a harsh reality check after the New York Knicks completed a stunning four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference finals.
Cleveland’s 130-93 Game 4 loss Monday night quickly sparked reactions from all sides, including New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who jumped into the celebration online moments after the final buzzer, per ESPN.
“I’d like to report a sweep,” Mamdani posted on social media while tagging New York City’s sanitation department account.
The account fired back with: “CLEAN UP IN CLEVELAND!!”
The exchange immediately gained traction online as Knicks fans celebrated the franchise reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Mamdani’s support for the Knicks has become increasingly visible throughout the postseason. He recently attended Game 2 at Madison Square Garden and sat among fans in the upper level during the Eastern Conference finals matchup.
While New York celebrated, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert addressed Cleveland’s disappointing exit with a blunt message about the organization’s future.
Congrats to the @nyknicks,
“We took a step ahead this spring, but we are nowhere near where we need to be,” Gilbert wrote in a social media post after the loss, ESPN reports.
Donovan Mitchell, James Harden Stay Confident
Despite the sweep, Donovan Mitchell made it clear he still believes Cleveland’s current roster can eventually compete for a championship.
“I have no doubt that this group can get there,” Mitchell said after Game 4. “I’ve said that all year. The biggest thing is you just use it as a learning lesson.”
Mitchell pointed toward New York’s own playoff journey as proof that painful postseason losses can eventually lead to bigger breakthroughs.
“This team that we just faced had to go through this,” Mitchell added. “Maybe not this way, but they’ve been together, they’ve been a core group and had to go through this tough experience. So, this is our turn.”
The Eastern Conference finals appearance marked the deepest playoff run of Mitchell’s nine-year NBA career. Cleveland also advanced further than any Cavaliers team without LeBron James since 1992.
The Cavaliers pushed aggressively for a title this season after acquiring James Harden in a major midseason trade. Harden averaged 19.2 points during the postseason while shooting 41% from the field and nearly 30% from three-point range.
Even after the difficult finish against New York, Harden said he fully expects to remain in Cleveland next season.
“Definitely want to be here,” Harden said. “I think we found something.”
Cavaliers Looking Toward What Comes Next
Mitchell and Harden both stressed that Cleveland’s playoff struggles earlier in the postseason may have contributed to the lopsided conference finals result. The Cavaliers needed seven games in each of their first two playoff series before running into a rested and surging Knicks team.
“We did this to ourselves,” Mitchell admitted. “That’s not an excuse. They beat us, swept us. But we didn’t give ourselves a chance because we didn’t handle business.”
Both stars also defended head coach Kenny Atkinson after the loss. Harden credited Atkinson for quickly helping him adjust after arriving in Cleveland during the season.
Mitchell, who becomes extension eligible this summer, also doubled down on his commitment to the franchise and the city.
“I’m sorry for the city of Cleveland,” Mitchell said. “For it to be like this and the sweep. That’s ass. But I told y’all last year, and I’ll say again, we’ll be back. We’ll be ready. We’ll be hungry. And we’ll be locked in.”
Dan Gilbert Sends Message After Zohran Mamdani Trolls Cavaliers Sweep