The Cleveland Cavaliers are slowly becoming the talk of the NBA with an impressive 15-0 record, and as usual for them, Donovan Mitchell is leading the way.
He is coming off a pair of big games against the Chicago Bulls in recent days — he had 37 points on Friday and 36 points four days prior to that, and he hit seven 3-pointers in both games.
His scoring is down a bit this season to 24.6 points a game, which is 2.0 points a game lower than his average last season, and per Full Court Cleveland, head coach Kenny Atkinson said Mitchell is a selfless star.
“It’s monumental,” Atkinson said. “He’s willing to share the spotlight. He’s willing to be a decoy.”
Donovan Mitchell is Cleveland's selfless star. #LetEmKnow
"It's monumental. He's willing to share the spotlight. He's willing to be a decoy."
– #Cavs HC Kenny Atkinson pic.twitter.com/n4ZenI3bS1
— Full Court Cleveland (@FullCourtCLE) November 18, 2024
As unselfish as Mitchell seems to be, he will not hesitate to take games over and go off on scoring binges, especially in big games and during the playoffs.
While he has a career average of 24.8 points per game in the regular season, he has averaged 28.1 points per game during the playoffs, which ranks seventh in NBA history.
In seven trips to the postseason, he has already had a few 50-point games, including a 50-point outburst in Game 6 of the first round of last season’s playoffs against the Orlando Magic.
On Tuesday, the Cavs will visit the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics, and that may be a perfect opportunity for Mitchell to have another game to remember if none of his teammates come out and play above their baseline level of production.
A win over the Celtics would go a long way in proving that Cleveland has become a legitimate championship contender.
NEXT: Kenny Atkinson Says Matchup With Celtics Is 'Great For The NBA'
