Donovan Mitchell did all he could to help the Cleveland Cavaliers win on Friday. Cleveland ended up losing 108-105 against the Oklahoma City Thunder despite Mitchell scoring 43 points. Mitchell is off to a strong start to the 2023-24 season and joined exclusive Cavs company with LeBron James on Friday.
Mitchell became just the second Cavs player ever to record at least 15 or more 40-point games, according to StatMuse. LeBron is the only other Cavs player to accomplish this impressive feat. It goes without saying, but joining a club with arguably the best player of all-time is an incredible accomplishment.
There is no question that Mitchell is a true superstar.
Donovan Mitchell’s impact on Cavs
The Cavs have high aspirations for the 2023-24 campaign. Their success begins with Mitchell.
He’s impressed so far this season and did the same in 2022-23, his first year in Cleveland. Mitchell averaged 28.3 points per game on 48.4 percent field goal and 38.6 percent three-point shooting last year. He added 4.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists while leading Cleveland to the NBA playoffs.
Although the Cavs’ postseason didn’t go according to plan, the future is bright with Mitchell leading the way. He will need Cleveland’s other players to step up around him though. When Mitchell scores at least 40 points, the Cavs should be able to record more than 105 total points.
It will require a complete team effort moving forward.
Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs will look to rebound against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday in the second of a back-to-back. Cleveland will take a 1-1 record in the contest, while Indiana is 1-0.