Donovan Mitchell Reacts to Knicks Chants in Cleveland After Game 3 Loss

With the New York Knicks holding a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers, some thought maybe a change of scenery would help Donovan Mitchell and company pick up a win. That wasn’t the case.

The Knicks seized control of the game once again, the Cavaliers missed shots, and New York rolled to a 121-108 win at Rocket Arena in front of Cleveland’s fans, including Ohio’s own Travis Kelce and his fiancée, Taylor Swift.

There were also many Knicks fans in the building, with “Let’s go Knicks!” chants erupting during the team’s tenth-straight win in the postseason.

Some might think that would disrupt the Cavaliers players, such as James Harden and “Spida” Mitchell, but according to the latter, he’s well aware of how this fanbase is.

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“I mean, I’m from New York, this doesn’t shock me. They do it in every arena. It’s like Cowboys fans. That’s how they are. It wasn’t a Cleveland thing. Wasn’t just us. You look at Philly [games] … That’s how Knicks fans are. I was one back in the day,” Mitchell said.

He also indicated that those chants weren’t part of any Cavs issues and that Cleveland has “the best fans in the world,” while sharing his thoughts on the Knicks fans in the building.

“I have nothing but love for the fans in Cleveland, and we didn’t get it done for our home crowd tonight,” he admitted to reporters at the postgame press conference.

In Game 3, the Cavs actually shot 50 percent, but still couldn’t get it done. They attempted 41 three-pointers, hitting 12 of them.

Mitchell had 23 points, shooting 9-for-21, including 3 of 10 from three-point range. He also had five turnovers, with him and teammates Harden and Evan Mobley accounting for 16 of the team’s 17.

Knicks fans were also extremely present and visible during New York’s two wins in Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, with recognizable celebs, including Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan, and Timothee Chalamet, making the trip to Philly to support their squad.

Mitchell realizes that suggesting the chants bother him or affect his game isn’t the way to approach things. Instead, he continues to mention his team’s inability to make shots or take control of games, which is more of a testament to how well this Knicks team is playing during their 10-game streak.

Cleveland had their best chance at seizing some series momentum in Game 1, and collapsed under the pressure of a fierce Knicks comeback in the fourth quarter at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Now the Cavs face a must-win Game 4 with elimination looming.

In the NBA Finals, the Knicks could face either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder, making for a lengthier cross-country trip for New York’s fans to see their team compete for the championship.

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This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 9:16 AM.