With the Knicks taking down the Cavaliers on Friday night, New York has seemingly cemented itself as the fifth seed as the playoffs inch closer.
Barring a collapse by either team, it will very well likely be the Knicks and Cavs meeting again in the first round of the playoffs, with Cleveland holding home court advantage as the fourth seed.
That means the Donovan Mitchell/New York narratives will be in full gear again, as the Big Apple native nearly became a Knick this past summer. But now, he will be looking to take them out as the ‘Bockers will be looking for their first playoff series win in 10 years.
“It’s full circle,” Mitchell said after Friday’s game. “You wouldn’t want it any other way. What kid wouldn’t wanna grow up & play his hometown team in the playoffs?
“I’d like to try to move away from summer. It happened, I’m here, and I’m glad to be here. I’m pretty sure when I go to New York I’m gonna get asked the same questions over and over, but I’m glad to be a part of this group and to be with this team.”
Mitchell not-so-secretly wanted to end up back home in New York with the Knicks, but he has been a star for Cleveland this season, continuing on Friday night when he shot nearly 70 percent from the floor and finished with 43 points. The thought of replicating such a performance under playoff lights at Madison Square Garden, going up against his hometown team, is an exciting thought for Mitchell, to say the least.
“For me personally, who would want it any other way?” Mitchell said. “It’s a storyline, it’s something near and dear to me to play a playoff game in front of friends and family, a team I grew up watching…it’s great. I’m excited for the challenge. It’s gonna be a lot of fun if that happens.”