Donovan Mitchell did not even try to hide it.
The Cleveland Cavaliers star admitted after Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals that Knicks fans had effectively taken over Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. He could hear them. His teammates could hear them. The home crowd in Cleveland was outnumbered, out-cheered, and out-organized by a group of New Yorkers who flew in for the weekend.
For a star player trying to win a series, that is an embarrassing admission. It is also true.
What Mitchell Said
Mitchell did not lash out at his own fans. He pointed out the reality of the situation in a measured way. Knicks fans travel. They are loud. They were there. Cleveland fans, for whatever reason, did not show up with the same energy. The Cavaliers, who had home court advantage in this series, did not get any home court energy.
The Knicks have done this before. They effectively took over Philadelphia in a first round series. Their fan base is one of the most aggressive in the league and they will buy any ticket on any secondary market to show up in opposing arenas. It is a tradition that goes back decades.
This Is on Cleveland Too
The Cavaliers fan base has every right to be passionate. The team has been good for years. They had LeBron James for two stints. They won a title in 2016. Cleveland sports fans show up when the moment matters. So where were they on Saturday?
Part of the answer is the secondary ticket market. Knicks fans are willing to pay obscene prices to get inside hostile buildings. Cleveland fans, by all reports, were not matching the demand. The result was a road game in your own arena.
The Series Is Effectively Over
The Knicks lead 3-0 and can finish the sweep Monday night. If they do, the conversation about Cleveland’s fan support will become irrelevant. The conversation about the roster, the coaching, and the Mitchell era of Cavaliers basketball will become the only thing that matters.
Cleveland made big bets to keep this group together. They added James Harden at the deadline. They believed they could beat New York in a seven-game series. Instead they are getting bullied on both ends of the floor and out-cheered in their own building.
The Knicks have not been to the NBA Finals in 27 years. They are one game away from changing that. Mitchell knows what is coming Monday night. Knicks fans will be there too.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
