Three things the Utah Jazz need to prove in Game 5, win or lose

Donovan Mitchell showcasing mental toughness

This series against Houston has been difficult for Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell. He’s found out first-hand how much tougher of a team the Rockets are than the Oklahoma City Thunder. They’ve challenged him defensively with a number of solid perimeter defenders and a monster in the paint in Clint Capela.

Game 3 was nothing short of rock bottom for him as he finished the contest with just 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting while logging a plus/minus of minus-31. He was able to bounce back somewhat in Game 4 as he turned in 25 points (his most of the series), nine rebounds and four steals, but he was still inefficient going just 8-of-24 from the field and 2-of-7 from deep.

Not only that, but Mitchell was visibly frustrated throughout the contest. Some of that frustration was well-justified such as when James Harden clearly smacked his arm on a layup attempt and no foul was called (see below) causing Mitchell to exclaim to the closest ref, “You were right here!”

Make no mistake about it, whether you think the problem lies with the players or with NBA rules, playing against the likes of Harden and Chris Paul is frustrating. They are absolute experts at their craft, whether you appreciate that craft or not. In that regard, it’s totally understandable why Donovan would lose his cool.

However, in some ways, he seemed to let his frustration get the better of him. As he walked to the tunnel after the game, he had some harsh words to say about Harden. The clean version of which was, “If that’s what he needs to win the MVP, so be it!” I’ll let you look up the NSFW version on your own.

In truth, this was mere seconds after a crushing loss and, as I said, Mitchell had every right to be frustrated. If it were me, I probably would have said a lot worse, to be honest!

Still, pinning the blame on calls or antics of opposing players is an uncommon look for the rookie who is normally so composed. Furthermore, later on in his post-game interview, he seemed quite defeated rather than maintaining that killer instinct and true belief that the series isn’t over until the opponent wins four games.

Hopefully that was more an effect of being disappointed in the loss and Mitchell wasn’t as downcast as he seemed. Either way, the major thing I want to see out of Donovan in Game 5 is mental resilience. He knows how hard it can be to go up against two future Hall of Famers in Paul and Harden. He knows how good this Rockets team is. He knows how much the Jazz need him to perform well in order for him to succeed.

He also knows that the chances of Utah fighting back and winning this series are slim. Nevertheless, I hope he puts that all to the side and comes out electric in Game 5. Win or lose, the Jazz need Mitchell to show that he can bounce back mentally, play well after a frustrating game and tough series, and truly be the emotional leader for the Jazz regardless of if it forces a Game 6 or turns out to be his last game of the year.

Not only do the Jazz need that out of him, but Mitchell needs that for himself. His Game 4 frustrations were somewhat uncharacteristic for the electrifying rookie and bouncing back will be huge for his confidence, whether it’s a springboard to extend the series or to get his offseason started out on the right foot.