The Cleveland Cavaliers have a golden opportunity to punch their ticket to the second round when they face the Toronto Raptors in Game 6. But to close out this series, they'll need their superstar to step up in a big way.

Closeout games are often decided by star performances, and Friday night should be no exception. While the Cavs managed to win Game 5 thanks to strong contributions from their supporting cast—Dennis Schroder and Sam Merrill provided a spark off the bench, while Evan Mobley rediscovered the offensive dominance he showed early in the series—they can't count on that formula working again. Donovan Mitchell's uncharacteristically quiet outing was masked by his teammates' efforts, but replicating that success on the road will be a tall order.

The key to unlocking Mitchell's game lies in his ability to attack the paint. During the regular season, he was a force around the rim, converting 66% of his shots there (ranking in the 60th percentile) and an impressive 55% in the short midrange area (95th percentile). In the playoffs, those numbers have dipped to just 52% at the rim (18th percentile) and 50% in the short midrange (88th percentile). When Mitchell is driving downhill with authority, the defense is forced to collapse, which opens up his outside shot and unleashes his full offensive arsenal.

The Cavs have had chances to steal games in Toronto but couldn't close the deal. In Game 3, their defense crumbled in the fourth quarter, allowing the Raptors to drop 43 points in the final frame. In Game 4, the offense went cold down the stretch, squandering an eight-point lead in the last five minutes. The pattern is clear: the team that wins the fourth quarter has won each of the last four games in this tightly contested series.

Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes has been the best player on the floor for either team, impacting both ends of the court. With the Raptors missing key pieces, he's been asked to do more than expected, but he's risen to the challenge. For the Cavs to advance, they'll need Mitchell to match that intensity and remind everyone why he's the star they brought in for moments like this.