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NEW YORK — Charles Barkley said on ESPN’s pregame coverage Wednesday that the Cleveland Cavaliers “suck.” Cleveland then beat the defending champion New York Knicks 115-107 at Madison Square Garden to get back to .500, and Donovan Mitchell had no interest in what Barkley thought of his team.
Mitchell spoke with Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, who reported Barkley’s remark, in the visitors’ locker room late Wednesday. The comment came during a two-game skid that started with a 109-97 home loss to the Knicks on Saturday, when Mitchell scored 37 points.
“Who gives a (expletive)?” Mitchell told cleveland.com while chuckling. “Chuck ain’t here. If Chuck said we were the defending champs and made positive comments, what’s that going to do for us?”
Cavaliers Even Record At 6-6 Against Defending Champions
Mitchell made the point with a win in hand. Cleveland led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter, never trailed after the second, and got 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists from Mitchell on 8-of-15 shooting, according to the official box score. James Harden scored a season-high 32 points.
“Chuck ain’t doing nothing for us in this locker room,” Mitchell said. “I have nothing but respect for those guys. So, no disrespect to them or you or anyone else, but who gives a (expletive)? At the end of the day, it’s all about us in here.”
Cleveland finished the game with Mitchell, Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen on the floor. After New York tied it at 101 with 5:09 left, Harden hit a 27-foot pull-up 3-pointer and set up Mobley for a floater. Allen scored 7 of the Cavaliers’ last 14 points, including a dunk off a Mitchell pass that made it 110-103 with 1:41 left.
“I think the biggest thing is just diving into each other,” Mitchell told cleveland.com. “When you have a group like ours that is so tight-knit, (expletive) like that don’t even affect you. It comes from the top. Myself, James, Ev, J.A. (Jarrett Allen), we’re not addressing those things in here. We’re not looking at those things. We don’t care about those things. Those things don’t mean anything.”
Donovan Mitchell Points To Knicks’ Championship Run
The Knicks heard plenty of doubt on their way to the title. New York trailed Atlanta 2-1 in the first round after two one-point losses, and Knicks coach Mike Brown, in his first season, was criticized on social media during that series. The Knicks went 15-1 the rest of the way, sweeping Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals and beating San Antonio in five games in the NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson scored 45 points in the clinching Game 5 and was named Finals MVP.
“They all said Jalen Brunson was a small guard who couldn’t win a championship,” Mitchell said. “He won a championship. They said the Knicks couldn’t do it. They said the Knicks needed to fire Mike Brown. What happened? Who gives a (expletive)? You know what I’m saying? It’s about us in this locker room. We believe in us. That’s all that matters.”
New York fell to 6-5, ending a four-game winning streak. Cleveland plays at the Miami Heat on Friday, and the Knicks visit the Indiana Pacers the same night.
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