For most of his NBA career, Donovan Mitchell has had to do a lot of heavy lifting, especially in the playoffs.
Even if he had some shooters around him in Utah, he was asked to do way more when it mattered the most.
That also seemed to be the case in the early stages of his tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But now, with Kenny Atkinson revamping their offense and making sure everybody gets their touches, that’s no longer the case.
That’s why Gilbert Arenas likes this team’s chances.
In the latest edition of his podcast, the controversial former player claimed that they didn’t need Mitchell to put up 30+ points per game anymore because he’s surrounded by scorers.
Donovan Mitchell is going off in Cleveland with Garland and company 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WxAVmaOPla
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) November 9, 2024
Granted, this is pretty much the same supporting cast he had last season, but the mindset and offensive approach seems to be very different.
Darius Garland had been rather timid for most of his tenure next to Mitchell.
He’s been way more aggressive as a scorer this time around.
The same goes for Evan Mobley.
Mobley, who seemed to have the potential to be a three-level scorer or a presence in the post at the very least, had been more of an afterthought on offense before this season.
He’s taking and making more shots.
The Cavs’ free-flowing offense has everybody chipping in and getting into a rhythm.
That makes it easier for all players to trust their shot when it matters the most.
Also, if they do happen to need someone to put up 30 on a given night, Mitchell is more than capable of doing it.
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