“Sometimes you’ve got to tip your cap. He made a one-handed spin move on me. Not to say he’s not capable, but sometimes that’s what happens. We’ll make our adjustments, but you’ve got to give credit where credit is due”
– Donovan Mitchell on Game 2
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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on December 29, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
The New York Knicks are two wins away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, and the Cleveland Cavaliers look like a team running out of answers. Game 2 at Madison Square Garden ended 109-93, and it wasn’t that close.
Knicks Videos on X posted Mitchell’s postgame press conference clip, where he was asked directly about how Josh Hart kept getting loose. His answer was straightforward, and worth paying attention to.
HeavyDonovan Mitchell on Josh Hart and loss
When a reporter asked Mitchell about Hart getting open looks in both games, he did not deflect or make excuses.
“I mean, we’ll go back and watch it and sometimes you gotta tip your cap. You know, you’re not comparing the players, but you see a similar situation in the other series, you know, with Caruso. They’re guarding him kind of the same way. So I’m not saying he’s him or whatever or vice versa, but you just gotta adjust. And we’ll look at the film and figure out ways to adjust. But sometimes you gotta tip your cap. I mean, he made a one-handed spin move on me.”
“Sometimes you’ve got to tip your cap. He made a one-handed spin move on me. Not to say he’s not capable, but sometimes that’s what happens. We’ll make our adjustments, but you’ve got to give credit where credit is due”
– Donovan Mitchell on Game 2
Mitchell was referencing how the Spurs have been defending Alex Caruso in the Western Conference Finals, essentially the same read Cleveland made on Hart: let the role player shoot and load up on the stars. He acknowledged that approach needs a second look.
“And not to say he’s not capable, but sometimes that’s what happens. I think the biggest thing is we’ll make our adjustments. But you give credit where credit’s due. They made the right plays and knocked down the shots they were supposed to make.”
GettyJosh Hart reacts against Donovan Mitchell
And that third quarter is exactly what Mitchell is going back to the film for. Hart missed four of his first five shots early on, which made Cleveland’s plan look smart. Then everything changed.
He hit five threes, finished 10-of-21 from the field, and walked off with 26 points and seven assists, all playoff career highs.
Brunson had just two points at halftime but finished with 19 and a playoff career-high 14 assists. Every time Cleveland loaded up on him, he found Hart, and Hart kept delivering.
The Knicks went on an 18-0 run in the third quarter that broke the game open. Cleveland scored just 44 points in the second half and could never claw back.
The series now shifts to Cleveland with the Cavaliers staring down an 0-2 hole. Mitchell sounds composed, but a team that has won nine straight playoff games is a very difficult thing to slow down.
Jayesh Pagar Jayesh Pagar is a writer at Heavy Sports, covering the New York Knicks and other NBA teams. He brings four years of experience across digital sports media, including NBA, WNBA, college basketball, and college football. He covered as the Knicks beat writer for ONSI and has written for PFSN, Sporting News, and ClutchPoints. More about Jayesh Pagar
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