Donovan Mitchell Leaving A Lasting Impression On The Cavaliers
Everyone in and around the Cleveland Cavaliers organization is smitten with their superstar guard acquisition just two weeks into the 2022–23 season.
Donovan Mitchell scored thirty or more points with his new team on Sunday night, ironically against his hometown New York Knicks, for the fifth time already this year. (38 points, 12 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal made up Spida’s final scoring stat line for the contest. But that wasn’t the story, and it still isn’t.
“Playing against my home team is always fun for me. It’s simple to point to the summer and claim that, but I’m pretty close with every player on that team, so it’s always fun to compete with my friends. I also have nothing but love for them. Johnnie Bryant is like a big brother to me so it’s always fun to go against them,” Mitchell said.
“It’s not something I would say I did with it. However, it’s likely that everyone will overstate that. I only have love for those guys over there, that’s not how it is. You want to play your hardest when it’s your home team. I set out to accomplish that.”
The real story should be about Mitchell’s historic individual season start and the collective success the 5-1 Cavaliers are experiencing as a result.
“I used the entire summer to devote myself to me. And believe it or not, through all the craziness — the names being thrown in every trade or whatever — this was my best summer as far as just mentally just being, focusing on me,” Cleveland won 121-108, Mitchell said after the game. “Getting to work, staying physically fit. We finished [our season] much earlier than I’ve ever finished my career [in Utah], so that’s where it all began. And as you sit there, your anger is evident. You could use a lot more fuel if you weren’t already angry and unsure of where you were going. My attention is solely on Don, though. How can I play at my highest level on both ends of the field? You then encounter a brand-new circumstance. You really need to have something to back up your honesty because nobody knows what you are. Everyone has heard that you are in Utah, but what are you doing?
“Additionally, as I previously mentioned, it need not be 30 every evening. Being the best player I can for the team is all that matters. It’s been that way because [Darius Garland] has been out, and when he returns, I’ll keep performing at that level and continue to be the best player I can be. I have, however, undoubtedly moved forward. But as I said, there have only been six games. Only six games made up this stretch. Despite the fact that it’s only October, I know we tend to react to things early. My main thought right now is how we want to play as late as we can. But taking that step is what I want to do. I didn’t perform as well as I could have last year. Simply trying to figure out how to do it here. What’s the point in stopping when your teammates and coaches believe in you?”
Coach J.B., of the Cavaliers Mitchell has improved the court and locker room, and Bickerstaff is amazed by it.
“I’m not aware of everything he was required to do while in Utah. But what I’ve seen from him is a really complete basketball player,” After Sunday’s 121-108 victory, Bickerstaff said. “I’ve seen a player who is ready to put up strong defensive competition. On that side of the floor, there’s a guy I’ve seen who’s game for a challenge. And I’ve seen a player who, in addition to going out and scoring a basket, was consistently willing to make the right pass and the simple pass. He was in the Western Conference, so I didn’t see him, but based on the few times I did see him and wasn’t able to analyze him, he just seems like a better, more complete player than I thought. But knowing him on a daily basis, there’s nothing he can’t accomplish on the basketball court.”
Bickerstaff mentioned James Harden, a player he coached in Houston during the 2015–16 season (as the interim head coach), in response to a question from Right Down Euclid’s Evan Dammarell about managing a player with Mitchell’s offensive drive.
“Their games obviously differ from one another. The explosiveness mixed with the shot-making and creativity. being able to see the ground. If there are five or six more complete offensive players in our league, I’d be hard pressed to name them all,” Bickerstaff said. “On offense, this guy is elite. What he can’t do on the floor, I’m not sure. Over time, perhaps, we’ll observe something. You guys have seen him, but ever since we’ve had him, he’s been incredible and has continually astounded all of us.”
Donovan fits in well with the team because he is a Virgo and has the same September birthday as the team, according to Kevin Love, the longest-tenured Cavalier and a close friend of Mitchell’s. 7 birthday as him.
“Just the way that he goes about his business, the work that he puts in on his body, on the court, film work, putting in the time with his teammates, just being an all-around basketball player is, I think, inspiring for all of us to get on the floor with him and to want to be better,” Love said. “We had a fantastic group to begin with, but I believe he just takes us to another level. A professional with stardom in the league who is currently playing some really outstanding basketball. And from the way he conducts himself, we don’t notice any signs that he is slowing down. He has been wonderful for us, and as you noted, it is hard to express how wonderful he has been. He was still able to accomplish this for us despite his poor shooting in the game.
“I thought, “Oh man, he’s just gonna fit perfect because his personality is great,” when we learned that he had been traded here.’ And just he’s—I’m not sure if this is the right way to put it—he’s just one of us. All the right things are what he’s all about. Even though he only takes 20 shots per game, he still scores 38 points. He’s approaching the line. He is currently 8 for 13 from three. However, he still involves everyone even when he fires 25, 26, or 27 shots. He’s still playing at such a pace that nobody is staring at him or asking, “Oh, man, what is he doing?”‘ He plays with a lot of intention. He involves his teammates with thoughtful consideration. And the same thing off the floor, as if he jumped right in and just [was] all about the right things, and it feels exactly like what J.B. and the coaching staff wants. It has his full support and attention. We don’t have a single rotten apple on this team, which we love.”
Here’s some perspective on how exceptional Mitchell’s start in Cleveland has been, courtesy of some stat-hunting by Bally Sports Ohio’s Cayleigh Griffin: Mitchell is just the second player in NBA history to record five 30-point games in his first six games with a team (joining Wilt Chamberlain, who did it with the Golden State Warriors in 1959).
I’m talking about Wilt Chamberlain.
Even Tony Jones, a reporter for The Athletic, who has followed Mitchell’s development in Utah from the start, is in awe of how the 26-year-old has performed so far.
Mitchell has had a fantastic start. He is currently averaging 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.7 ball steals per game. With Garland out due to a swollen left eye, he is playing close to 40 minutes per night and producing career-best True Shooting percentage (63.7%) and assist percentage (32.1%) rates.
His most memorable moments have occurred in difficult circumstances and late-game scenarios. With each dunk, smooth jumper, and commitment to making the right choice on both ends of the floor, he brings the thunder. He is, to put it simply, making plays that are successful.
If first impressions are a test, Donovan Mitchell is acing it with flying colors.
“I believe I’ve been doing this for a while, and whenever Darius returns, I simply try to improve it. In addition, he will add to it. Concerning what will transpire once he returns, there is none. He’s an exceptional player, so when he returns, he’ll elevate us to a new level. But for me, I feel like I’ve just been doing this nonstop, and I just continue to get better and more efficient,” Mitchell said.
“Every season, I always stressed the importance of trying to improve one’s efficiency. And when you hear that, you probably think of field percentages, but I’m thinking… I’ve been turning the ball over four times on average this year. I need to improve that, take charge of the game, the fourth, whatever, and be the leader. I’m just looking for ways to play as effectively as I can, and I believe that this has been my best stretch thus far in my career, but I must continue.”
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Source: https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-donovan-mitchell-making-an-enormous-first-impression-on-cleveland-cavaliers-jb-bickerstaff-kevin-love-cavs-new-york-knicks
