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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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The No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers trail the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons 0-1 heading into a critical Game 2 matchup on Thursday night.
The Cavaliers, led by 23 points from Donovan Mitchell, suffered a 111-101 loss in Game 1 on Tuesday night. The pressure is now on as Cleveland looks to tie the series up before heading back home for Game 3.
Mitchell was asked about this pressure in the lead up to Game 2. With his response, the All-Star guard put things into perspective.
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"I've been here before, the pressure's really not -- I don't really feel it," Mitchell said, via ESPN. "This isn't pressure. Getting your next meal is pressure. Where am I going to live? You know, that's pressure. This is an opportunity. This is fun."
"At least I know we put our best foot forward regardless of the result," he added. "In years past, some [expletive] just didn't go my way. Now I'm like: We made the moves. We've done the talk. Now, just continue to walk the walk."
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Mitchell averaged 23.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3 assists per game in the Cavaliers' seven-game, first-round playoff series win over the Toronto Raptors. He scored 22 points in his team's closeout Game 7 victory in Cleveland.
James Harden, a fellow NBA veteran with playoff experience, scored 22 points in the Cavaliers' Game 1 loss. The 36-year-old guard shot 1/7 from behind the 3-point arc and committed seven turnovers.
"For me, I got to be better," Harden said. "I will be better, not turning the basketball over."
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Game 2 will tipoff at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday.
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