For the second straight season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have failed to advance past the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. And this time around, it's hard to label it as anything other than an abject failure.

Donovan Mitchell missed the second half of the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-109 Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers after what the team announced as a left ankle injury. It was a gut punch to what was an embarrassing loss for the top-seeded Cavaliers.

After losing to the Indiana Pacers in five games, Donovan Mitchell remains optimistic that the Cavs will bounce back stronger.

Mitchell, visibly deflated by the postseason exit, said going down 2-0 in the series left them in a precarious situation of having to chase an Indiana team that was brimming with confidence. In the end, the Pacers, which made the conference finals last season, were far more experienced and composed than the Cavs were.

Donovan Mitchell has been relentless in attacking the rim so far in the Cavs semifinal series versus the Indiana Pacers. Heading into Game 4, Mitchell is averaging just over 41 points per game, but the Pacers lead the series 2-1 after winning the first two games in Cleveland while the Cavs took the first game in Indianapolis Friday night.