WASHINGTON — Where would the Cavs be without Donovan Mitchell?
It’s a question Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson has asked rhetorically numerous times this season.
The answer on Friday night: rock bottom.
Mitchell’s heroics saved Cleveland from its latest morale-zapping loss, as it rallied in the fourth quarter for a 130-126 victory.
As he has done so many times this season, Mitchell put the team on his brawny shoulders and led a miraculous turnaround, erasing a one-time 17-point deficit. Mitchell scored 35 points in the second half. Twenty-four in the fourth quarter. Finished with a game-high 48 on 17 of 31 from the field and 8 of 15 from 3-point range in 35 dominant minutes.
The Cavs outscored the Wizards, 45-26, in the fourth quarter.
On Tuesday, during the team’s mini break in the schedule, the Cavs held an uncomfortable film session in which Atkinson called out the team for a lack of consistent effort.
That was a problem once again Friday night.
Three-win Washington made its first four shots and seven of the first 10, forcing Atkinson to call timeout at the 6:57 mark of the first quarter.
But Cleveland temporarily turned up the intensity, holding the Wizards scoreless over the final 3:41 of the first quarter and using a 14-0 run during that stretch to build an 11-point lead — the first double-digit advantage by either team.
The Wizards responded with a 9-2 surge to open the second quarter.
By halftime, it was only a two-point Cleveland lead.
The young, hungry Wizards came out of the locker room scoring 14 of the first 16 points while building a 10-point advantage, their biggest of the night at the time. It increased to 17 at the 1:22 mark of the third quarter.
The Cavs, favored by 14.5 points entering the game, were down by 15 going into the fourth.
That’s when Atkinson started the quarter with a never-been-used lineup — Craig Porter Jr., Darius Garland, Lonzo Ball, Evan Mobley and Mitchell.
That group ignited a 12-2 spurt, cutting the Washington advantage to five with 10:12 remaining.
Two minutes later, it was a one-possession game. The Washington lead was just one with 8:11 left — until the Wizards buried back-to-back 3s to go back in front by seven.
The Cavs kept applying pressure, cutting the lead to one again with less than three minutes left on a rare Lonzo Ball made triple.
Then Mitchell’s 3 tied the game at the 2:14 mark. He put Cleveland in front on a driving layup with a minute left. Shortly after, Mitchell battled for an offensive rebound, tied up Marvin Bagley III and won the jump, earning a pair of free throws for Ball.
What didn’t Mitchell do Friday night?
Mobley added 23 points and 13 rebounds, his fourth straight double-double. Garland chipped in with 18.
The Wizards were led by CJ McCollum who had 27 points on 9 of 20 shooting.
As Mitchell walked off the court, he was greeted by a section of boisterous Cavs fans who were waiting patiently long after the final buzzer sounded.
_MVP, MVP, MVP._
He was again Friday night. Has been all season. Without him, the Cavs would have lost to one of the league’s worst teams.
**Up next**
The Cavs will host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m.