If Game 3 was a statement, Donovan Mitchell wrote it in bold, underlined ink. But as Mitchell scorched the Pacers for 43 points and carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 126-104 win in hostile territory, the moment fans couldn’t stop talking about wasn’t on the scoreboard. It was on the sidelines.

With Isaac Okoro waiting to check in, ESPN’s broadcast picked up an interesting exchange between the Cavs’ two franchise guards. According to the commentators—who described the moment with a light chuckle—Mitchell, already logging heavy minutes and pushing through visible fatigue, looked toward Garland and told him to check out. Garland appeared hesitant, looking back as if to stay in. Mitchell gestured again, and Garland eventually walked to the bench. The broadcasters compared Garland’s reluctant exit to that of a younger sibling being asked to leave the park.

Here’s what the broadcaster had to say: “Isaac Okoro was coming into the game to get Donovan Mitchell, right? Donovan Mitchell looks at Darius Garland and says, ‘Go sit down,’ knowing that he’s dealing with the toe, whatever may be. Darius is looking back at him like ‘no,’ and he’s saying, ‘Go to the bench.’ Darius walks off the court like a little brother who was made go home from the park. Couldn’t stay in play anymore.”

Given the context, it’s important to see the moment for what it was: a show of veteran awareness from Mitchell. Garland is playing through a toe injury that, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, has worsened since it was first sustained late in the regular season. Though officially listed as “questionable” in Game 3, Windhorst emphasized Garland is “truly hurt”—not just sore—and that the Cavs medical team is fully aware of the severity. He re-injured it trying to return early in the playoffs.

Mitchell stepped up with presence—making a call on the fly to help manage minutes and protect Garland’s health in a high-stakes environment. That’s not friction; that’s leadership.

Darius Garland, in his first game back, was limited to 10 points and picked up four fouls early. He also had a scare in the second half, staying down after a hard fall and looking visibly shaken before returning. The Cavaliers had lost Games 1 and 2 and couldn’t afford another misstep. Mitchell had carried a 48-point burden in the previous game and wasn’t ready to relinquish control in a must-win.

These sideline moments often attract narrative. But in this case, it reflected something deeper—trust, grit, and the emotional toll of playoff leadership. Mitchell didn’t just lead with buckets—he led with presence. And presence was everything. His 43 points came on 14-of-29 shooting, with nine rebounds, five assists, and a defensive edge that throttled Indiana in a 34-13 second quarter. Cleveland never trailed again.

But Mitchell’s leadership was only one piece of a larger resurgence. The Cavaliers didn’t just win Game 3—they rediscovered what had made them formidable in the first place.

The Cavs are back—and so is their identity

Friday wasn’t just a win. It was a reclamation. The Cavaliers didn’t just beat the Pacers in Game 3—they reasserted who they were supposed to be. With Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and De’Andre Hunter all returning, Cleveland looked whole again. Not fully healthy, but whole enough to look like the team that earned the East’s top seed.

Garland’s numbers were modest, but his presence alone allowed Mitchell to breathe. The difference in Cleveland’s offense was visible—Mitchell didn’t need to dominate every possession, and that showed in the fourth quarter. With fresh legs, he dropped 14 points in the final frame and iced the game late. Garland’s toe might still be barking, but his playmaking gave the Cavs the dual-threat engine they had been missing.

Mobley, meanwhile, reminded everyone why he was named Defensive Player of the Year. His help-side rotations were timely, his rim protection stifling, and his impact went beyond the three blocks and three steals he logged. He altered shots, stymied drives, and gave Cleveland’s zone the teeth it lacked in the first two games. Indiana’s transition offense, which had torched Cleveland earlier, was finally slowed.

Hunter didn’t stuff the stat sheet, but his return gave Cleveland more switchability. He filled the gaps Okoro and Wade couldn’t, stretching the floor and adding rebounding presence. Even when the shots didn’t fall, defenses respected his release—opening up just enough space for the rest of Cleveland’s offense to flow.

Strus, once again, lived up to the nickname Mitchell gave him: “Heat Culture.” His 20 points came within the flow, but it was his full-court hounding of Haliburton that stood out. Haliburton, who hit Cleveland with a dagger in Game 2, looked fatigued and hesitant. Strus played a major role in that. His seven assists and seven rebounds just added to a quietly elite two-way performance.

However, not everything clicked. Ty Jerome, one of Cleveland’s regular-season bright spots, struggled again. He’s now 10-for-42 in the series, and Game 3 was no better—1-for-8, with a few shaky decisions sprinkled in. His minutes are becoming harder to justify, not because of one bad game, but because of a trend. The Cavs have options. Jerome might not be one of them right now.

And behind all this, Kenny Atkinson’s fingerprints were back on this team. The rotations had purpose. The defensive schemes adjusted. The offense had flow. It was no coincidence this version of Cleveland reemerged after he won Coach of the Year. The honor doesn’t guarantee postseason success, but it validated the process—and on Friday, that process finally bore fruit. Cleveland still trails the series. But the momentum has shifted. Mitchell is operating with confidence, Mobley is anchoring the paint, Darius Garland is back—even if bruised—and Atkinson has a plan.

This series was slipping. Now, it’s crackling with tension, resolve, and new life. Game 3 wasn’t just a win. It was a reset.