The Cleveland Cavaliers face a familiar hole, trailing 0-2 in the conference finals after blowing a 22-point lead in Game 1 and falling 16 points in Game 2. Donovan Mitchell has been here before, guiding Cleveland through their turbulent season with relentless positivity and leadership that kept the team together during rough patches.

Coach Kenny Atkinson praised Mitchell after the Game 7 win over Detroit, highlighting not just his 26-point performance but his vocal leadership throughout the season's ups and downs. Mitchell responded to a disappointing Game 6 against the Pistons with a complete effort featuring eight assists, his playoff-high.

The Cavs transformed from December struggles to the No. 4 seed behind Mitchell's consistent play and team-first mentality. After blowing double-digit leads earlier in the season, including a Christmas Day collapse to the Knicks, Mitchell organized film sessions and reinforced belief in the locker room.

Now facing elimination again, Cleveland leans on their superstar who has reached the conference finals for the first time in his nine-year career. Mitchell's leadership experience navigating previous playoff disappointments gives the Cavaliers confidence they can rally from this 0-2 deficit.