(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Simply put, Donovan Mitchell has been a revelation for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.
He was already a star in five previous seasons with the Utah Jazz, but after he was traded to Cleveland last summer, he has seemingly raised his game.
So far this season, he’s putting up career highs in points per game (28.0) and overall shooting percentage (48.2 percent) while also hitting 38.3 percent of his 3-point attempts.
Not coincidentally, the Cavs are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and will be heading to the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James’ second departure in 2018.
But Mitchell has also given them a big-game performer, as evidenced by his 12 40-point games this season, which is a new franchise-high for the most such games in a single season.
Most 40-point games in a single season in Cavs history:
(2023) Donovan Mitchell – 12
(2006) LeBron James – 10
(2010) LeBron James – 9
(2009) LeBron James – 9
(2008) LeBron James – 7 pic.twitter.com/DnJIQlNrwI
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) April 3, 2023
The guard has a history of going off for big numbers during the playoffs, and it’s a quality that should give Cleveland at least a puncher’s chance of knocking off a team such as the Milwaukee Bucks, who they will likely face in the second round of the postseason should they both get there.
But Mitchell is far from the only great thing the Cavs have going for them these days.
Despite being a very young team, they rank first in defensive rating, which is something else that is key come playoff time.
Their tall, strong frontcourt duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen gives them two legitimate shot-blockers on the floor at the same time, which forces opponents to rely heavily on perimeter jumpers.
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