Donovan Mitchell
The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to be finally hitting their stride after a very up-and-down start to this season. The reigning #1 seed in the Eastern Conference has won four straight games for the first time since early November, and seems to be playing their best ball of the season.
This has coincided with injuries to both Darius Garland and Sam Merrill, and even taking the last two with DeAndre Hunter also out of the lineup. Since his All-Star starter snub, Donovan Mitchell has been on a mission, pouring in 45 points in the victory tonight.
As Cleveland continues to wind into its best form, they’re cementing themselves once again as a legitimate threat in the seemingly-open Eastern Conference.
Two wins over the Orlando Magic later, they now sit at 28-20.
There were three major things to take away from this game. Let’s get to that.
Paolo Banchero and Donovan Mitchell Put On a Show
Some nights, the best players on each team just come to play. That is exactly what happened in this ball game. Starting with our first takeaway, it’s that Paolo Banchero may need a little bit of help.
Banchero had one of most efficient and impressive performances of the season. The fourth-year forward finished with 37 points and 10 rebounds, knocking down 13 of 21 shots from the floor and dishing out four assists.
He was able to get to the line at will, and did everything he could.
The rest of the Magic combined to score just 61, and they had no answers for Donovan Mitchell. This team needs something additional.
Of course, Franz Wagner didn’t play. But even still. If they have aspirations to contend in the East, they will need to get buckets from the supporting cast.
Takeaway number two is that Mitchell should absolutely have been an All-Star starter. Including this 45-point performance he just had, he is averaging 37 points per game while shooting at a 49% clip over his past four. He has been on absolute tear.
While it was tough for the committee to decide with so many explosive guards in the East, it seems that #45 was given the short end of the stick. And he’s been letting everybody know what should have been.
He knocked down an incredible halftime buzzer-beater to finish the first-half with 26 points on just two misses.
Mitchell will most certainly make his seventh straight All-Star game as a reserve when they’re announced. And his All-NBA 1st-team candidacy is looking good, too.
Cavs Starting to Look Dangerous
The third and final takeaway from this game is that the Cavs are starting to look like the contender many expected them to be. Donovan Mitchell has been dominant. Jaylon Tyson has emerged as a reliable option with so many other players out of the lineup. Plus, Evan Mobley has been actively involved on offense, while seemingly blocking every shot on defense.
The cohesion has been there with this team, and it’s clear that they love playing with one another. It remains to be seen how they will approach the trade deadline, but it is clear that they are ascending.
Of course, their upcoming Western Conference road trip will show a lot more about where they’re at, a four-game winning streak at this juncture establishes them as a threat.
Wins over fellow contenders will create more believers, so if that’s what it’ll take, then that’s what they’ll do.
With Sam Merrill and DeAndre Hunter set to return soon, they’ll have their wing depth back. And when Darius Garland gets back, watch out.