Who else but Donovan Mitchell to rescue the Cleveland Cavaliers? With the Cavs trailing the Brooklyn Nets by two points with under 20 seconds left in regulation of their season-opener, Mitchell stepped up and delivered the goods for his team and drained a huge 3-pointer that put Cleveland in front for good.
The Nets still had plenty of time left to make a shot but Cam Thomas and Cam Johnson missed back-to-back shots towards the end of the game, as the Cavs escaped with a 114-113 victory on the road.
Donovan Mitchell concluded the night with a share of a team-high 27 points with Max Strus, who went berserk from deep to help the Cavs. Strus went 9-for-17 from the field, including seven 3-pointers on 13 attempts, while Mitchell shot 11-for-21 with five rebounds, six assists, and four steals in 36 minutes of display of all-around sharpness on the court.
It was an overall great night for Cleveland, which also saw all its starters score in double figures. With Donovan Mitchell and Strus knocking down shots, the Cavs were able to weather the unexpected explosion of Cam Thomas off the Nets bench. Thomas went off for 36 points on 13-for-21 shooting on the night.
Donovan Mitchell is the undisputed go-to guy of the Cavs in high-pressure situations, so it must feel so great for them to see their superstar up to the task right in their first game of the 2023-24 NBA campaign.
The Cavs will look to keep it going when they make their home debut this season on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.