Donovan Mitchell apologizes for shameless triple-double attempt: ‘That won’t happen again’

Mitchell’s turnover didn’t cost the Cavs, but he regrets the decision anyway.

Donovan Mitchell needed just one assist to secure his first triple-double late in the fourth quarter in the Cleveland Cavaliers win against the Philadelphia 76ers. Instead of taking a wide-open layup that would’ve given the Cavs a nine-point lead with under two minutes to play, Mitchell made an awkward pass to Evan Mobley. This eventually resulted in a turnover as Guerschon Yabusele stripped Mobley leading to free throws on the other end.

What could’ve been a nine-point advantage quickly became just a five-point lead. Mitchell quickly made amends as he buried a three and then sealed the game with a layup on the following two possessions.

Still, Mitchell understandably felt he needed to apologize afterward in his postgame interview with FanDuel Sports Network’s Serena Winters as transcribed by Camryn Justice:

Cavs fans, I’m sorry. I should have put the game away earlier. That was a selfish moment, I ain’t going to lie. I haven’t had [a triple-double] in my career, almost lost the game doing that. That’s a selfish move, it won’t happen again. I apologize and I apologize to my teammates, I’m sorry y’all.

. . .

I didn’t play the game the right way. [The tripple double] will come at some point. But yeah, that won’t happen again. That was one of those moments. . . . We all have those moments. You know what I’m saying? But at the end of the day we put the game away when we needed to. I had to make up for it after that. So, I’m glad we got the win.

Mitchell quickly atoned for his mistake on the floor and it ultimately didn’t cost the Cavs. He scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and put the game away. That said, he was right to apologize. This was one of the most shameless attempts for a triple-double in recent memory.

“That’s what happens when you chase it,” Mitchell said. “You don’t get it.”