Donovan Mitchell did everything short of physically building a brick wall to stop the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night — and somehow, the Cleveland Cavaliers still fumbled Game 2 like they had buttered fingers. With 48 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals, Mitchell looked like a man on a mission. Unfortunately, that mission got cancelled in the final 12 seconds.

Tyrese Haliburton pulled off a heist that would make Danny Ocean blush. After missing his second free throw with the Pacers down 117-120, he got his own rebound (with a little help from the Cavs forgetting how rebounding works), sidestepped to the three-point line, and drilled a dagger with 1.1 seconds left. Ballgame. Cavs fans cried. NBA Twitter exploded. And Donovan Mitchell… well, he got roasted like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Let’s get into the drama, the pain, and the fan meltdowns. Buckle up.

Let’s be clear: Mitchell was cooking. We’re talking five-star Gordon Ramsay levels of chef activity. The man had defenders spinning like Beyblades. He shot 13-of-26 from the field, knocked down 17 of 21 free throws, and basically played like he had a MyCareer badge boost for three quarters straight.

And yet, like your phone dying at 1% right before the Uber arrives, disaster struck at the worst moment.

With 12.1 seconds left, Mitchell fouled Haliburton on a drive instead of forcing the ball out of his hands. Then, on the missed free throw, he got out-hustled. Haliburton nailed the three, and Mitchell couldn’t get the ball back in time for a final shot. Cavaliers lost 120-119. Cleveland fell to 0-2. And Donovan Mitchell’s timeline? Woof.

Fan Reactions Came In Hotter Than a Taco Bell Breakfast Burrito

The pitchforks came out fast. And the first torch was lit with this spicy take: “Donovan lost us this game.” Harsh? Maybe. But understandable. Still, let’s put some respect on his name. This is the same guy who, just last year in Game 7 of the first round, dropped 39 on the Orlando Magic to secure Cleveland’s first playoff series win without LeBron James since 1993. That’s older than some Cavs fans’ Spotify Wrapped playlists.

And let’s not forget: the man just put up 48 points in Game 2 of the East Semis. You don’t accidentally stumble into that kind of stat line unless you’re playing 2K on Rookie.

“Donovan Mitchell managing to ruin a legend game by being a giant b***h here. Cowardly shit.” Alright, relax, keyboard warriors. But yes — there’s context here. Mitchell has a bit of a track record for letting emotions bubble over. Back in 2021, he got tossed in OT against the Sixers for barking at refs harder than a Chihuahua on espresso. And even in this game, his late offensive foul was costly. The kind of foul that makes you scream “NOOO” in five syllables.

So yes, Mitchell’s ultra-aggressive style can occasionally backfire harder than trying to fix your Wi-Fi by unplugging your router during a software update. “Another Donovan Mitchell Fake 1 Seed 😭” Oof. The meme age is strong with this one. But again, context matters. The Cavs entered the playoffs as the top seed in the East, and now they’re down 0-2 at home? Not great, Bob.

This isn’t the first time this narrative has haunted Mitchell. Flashback to 2021 — Mitchell’s Utah Jazz were the No. 1 seed in the West and got bounced in the second round by the Clippers. Without Kawhi. Yeah. That one still hurts.

So when fans throw shade about “fake 1 seeds,” they’re drawing from historical trauma. And Mitchell? He’s the common thread. “No One Has More 40+ Point Games That Mean Nothing Than Donovan Mitchell.” This one cuts deep like a breakup text with perfect grammar. Fans are tired of the heroic stat lines that end with Cleveland in the loss column.

Yes, Mitchell has stacked 40+ point games like Pokémon cards — but sometimes it feels like he’s putting up hollow calories. Case in point: 42 points vs. the Heat in 2023? Loss. Even his magnum opus 71-point explosion in January 2023 came in OT because his teammates forgot how to score in regulation.

So yeah, the man can drop a nuclear bomb — but if no one else on the roster brings a flashlight, you’re still stuck in the dark.

Look, Mitchell’s not without blame — but let’s not act like he single-handedly put the Cavs in this hole. Darius Garland was out. Evan Mobley’s ankles have been in and out of the lineup like a broken USB stick. And the Cavaliers’ late-game offense looked more confused than a toddler at a tax seminar.

But Mitchell is the star. The guy with the max contract. The face of the franchise. And when you’re that guy, the burden of blame comes baked into the paycheck.

Now trailing 0-2 with the series shifting to Indiana, Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs have their backs against the wall. Game 3 will be make-or-break. If Mitchell drops another 40+ and they still lose? Twitter might implode.

But if he finally turns the stats into a win? He might just shut everyone up for a minute.

Until then, though? The memes will keep flying, the fans will keep screaming, and Donovan Mitchell — like it or not — is right in the eye of the storm.