The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t needed Donovan Mitchell to be the Donovan Mitchell of old this season.
At least, not that often.
He hasn’t been as aggressive as he’s usually been.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been as efficient, either.
To put it in context, Chris Fedor reported that Mitchell’s performance vs. the Indiana Pacers gave him his first 30-point game since December 27 and just his second in the last five weeks.
#Cavs Donovan Mitchell with his first 30-point game since Dec. 27 and just his second in the last five weeks.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) January 15, 2025
Needless to say, that’s not what one would expect from an explosive three-level scorer like Mitchell.
Then again, it’s not like the team has had to turn to him all the time, either.
Mitchell usually saves the best for last, as he averages the second-most points in the fourth quarter.
He’s allowed everybody else to get into a rhythm earlier in games, and that has usually paid off down the stretch as well.
He’s making the most of worn-out defenses when it matters the most, and his teammates have also knocked down big shots.
Mitchell had 35 points on 23 shots in the road win over the Pacers.
He shot better than 50% from the field and went a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line.
Even so, he’s averaging roughly 23 points per game this season, which is far below his usual numbers.
Still, he doesn’t seem to be bothered by that at all.
He’ll continue to be on board with this style of play for as long as the team keeps winning games.
It’s never been about him or his numbers.
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