If Cleveland had been dominated in Game 1, Donovan Mitchell had not necessarily missed his performance in this defeat. However, his 33 points were marred by waste, between clumsiness and lost balls.
For Game 2, the back was more sober at the start of the game. He rotated the ball, especially serving Evan Mobley. “He set the tone. He was aggressive, dominant and everyone followed”, relates the former Jazz speaking from the inside. “When you look at the statistics, it was a collective effort. We learned from our absences in the first round, which is huge. »
Result: at the break, Donovan Mitchell had only scored 6 points, taking only six shots. He distributed 5 passes, without losing a ball, and the Cavaliers were still in the match. A very positive scenario therefore.
“I got the guys involved, I chose my positions, I found a way to put pressure on. In the second half, it was with points. I've said it all season: sometimes it's passes or rebounds.” he continues. “It doesn’t matter, when it’s time to go, you have to go. I knew that at some point I had to start shooting. »
“We have to do whatever is necessary. No matter what the match requires”
His first half in passer mode had a positive effect on his subsequent rise in power. The danger was multiple for the Cavaliers, with Evan Mobley, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, and the Boston defense was forced to adapt.
“They defended me a little differently. They were higher on the pick-and-roll, so Mobley was open. They tried to contain me in transition so the players were open”analyzes the All-Star, who scored 16 points in the third quarter.
Donovan Mitchell will add 7 points in the last act, to finish with 29 points at 10/19 shooting, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, with only one lost ball. A complete performance in the victory of his team.
“We have to do whatever is necessary. It doesn’t matter what the match calls for. I understood that, in the third quarter, we had to set the tone by being aggressive because we had good and bad third quarters in the playoffs,” he recalls. “So I set the tone by going to the circle, shooting, but also on defense, going for the rebound. This is my job: I have to do it every night, I have to be the leader. I'm supposed to do this. »
| Donovan Mitchell | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | UTH | 79 | 33 | 43.7 | 34.0 | 80.5 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 20.5 |
| 2018-19 | UTH | 77 | 34 | 43.2 | 36.2 | 80.6 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 23.8 |
| 2019-20 | UTH | 69 | 34 | 44.9 | 36.6 | 86.3 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 24.0 |
| 2020-21 | UTH | 53 | 33 | 43.8 | 38.6 | 84.5 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 | UTH | 67 | 34 | 44.8 | 35.5 | 85.3 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 25.9 |
| 2022-23 | KEY | 68 | 36 | 48.4 | 38.6 | 86.7 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 28.3 |
| 2023-24 | KEY | 55 | 35 | 46.2 | 36.8 | 86.5 | 0.8 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 26.6 |
| Total | 468 | 34 | 45.0 | 36.6 | 84.3 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 24.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
