We expected Anthony Davis, best player of the week, or LeBron James, for his annual visit to Ohio, and it’s finally Donovan Mitchell who stole the show. The Cavaliers rookie did even better than that since he signed his best game of the season with 43 points (17/27 on shots), 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals! Mitchell had never scored so many baskets in a match.
“We always want to spoil the returns home” he explains of the presence of LeBron James, and the “MVP, MVP” chants of his new audience. “It’s crazy, I grew up watching him play here. It’s as if the circle was complete, when I saw him receive a standing ovation. And there, I see this welcome, it’s incredible and it’s deserved. He is one of the greatest players of all time. »
A tribute that LeBron returns to him, author of 21 points and 17 rebounds to compensate for the cold snap of Anthony Davis, feverish and forced to throw in the towel after eight minutes. But first, the four-time MVP has a word for his former team.
“They were competitive before he got here, and I think he gives them more dynamism” LeBron analysis. “It was already a good team last year but with a few injuries, they had let go a bit, and they were knocked out in the play-in. But it was already a good team. When you add an All-Star, a dynamic guard like Donovan, it automatically becomes a better team. »
But what does he remember from Mitchell’s performance, decisive at the end of the match. “Mitchell is Mitchell… He did a great job breaking through our gaps, he made tough shots all night, and he found his comfort zone. He really is a unique kid. »
| Donovan Mitchell | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 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 | 22 | 37 | 48.8 | 42.1 | 88.5 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 28.4 |
| Total | 364 | 34 | 44.3 | 36.4 | 83.6 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 24.1 | |
