Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell’s 33 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday did more than just earn the Cavs their eighth straight win to start the season.
Mitchell managed to score the most points by a Cavalier in their first eight games of the season with 251–10 points more than former All-Star guard World B. Free’s record set at the beginning of the 1983-84 regular season.
LeBron James scored the third-most at the beginning of the 2008-09 regular season with 238, just two seasons before he made the infamous decision to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. James scored a Lakers-leading 27 points by game’s end in an effort to keep Los Angeles in a competitive spot after going 2-6 and scoring 192 points in his first eight matchups this season.
James had nothing but high praise for Mitchell and the high-flying Cavs, saying he would risk getting in trouble if it meant giving his honest opinion about his hometown team in a postgame press conference.
“You don’t see too many of their guys showing off on social media,” James said. “They seem like a bunch of guys who come to work and just want to play ball.
“It’s definitely a joy for a coach and a staff like that. You have kids who want to come in and play ball and a grandpa who looks over everyone in (forward) Kevin Love.”
Both Donovan Mitchell and guard Darius Garland managed to score a combined 57 points by game’s end after both were listed as “questionable” one day before Sunday’s game and five after they combined for 54 in Garland’s first full game of the season.
Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs will stay in town as they continue the second half of their five-game road trip when they face the Los Angeles Clippers at 10:30 p.m. EST on Monday in Crypto.com Arena. The game will be broadcasted on NBA TV and Bally Sports Ohio.