It has been a rollercoaster of a ride for Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers so far in the 2023-24 NBA regular season. They have already played 10 games, but the Cavs have yet to win consecutive games, having blown another chance in a 132-120 road loss to the Sacramento Kings Monday night.
Donovan Mitchell was quick to put the blame for the Cavs’ recent struggles on himself, admitting that he hasn’t been up to par during Cleveland’s current road trip that ends on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“I’m not playing well this trip,” Mitchell said following the loss, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “I hold myself to a high standard. I can be better. Put us in a better position if I start playing better.”
Mitchell led the Cavs in the Kings game with 22 points but he needed 21 shots from the field to get there. Overall, he was just 7-for-21 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Despite his shooting woes, the Cavaliers shot nearly had a 50 field goal percentage (49.5%) and were 16-for-35 from behind the arc. Where it really went wrong for Cleveland was on the other side of the floor, as the Kings torched them for 59 percent shooting and 52 points in the paint.
Then again, it can’t be denied that Mitchell hasn’t been shooting the ball well of late. Over the last three games, all in enemy territories, the former Louisville Cardinals star shot just 33.9 percent from the field and recorded just a 38.6 effective field goal percentage and a 44.2 true shooting percentage.