Many felt that Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell should have been voted as a starter in next month’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles. While he has not reacted to the perceived snub, it seems like Mitchell is, no matter how worn-out it sounds, letting his game do the talking.
Mitchell led the Cavaliers past the Orlando Magic, 114-98, at Rocket Arena on Monday. He exploded for a game-high 45 points on 15-of-25 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point land.
He came out firing, scoring 26 points in the first half to set the tone for Cleveland. When the smoke cleared, he joined LeBron James as the only players in franchise history to record at least five 45-point games at home, according to ESPN.
Anytime you are in an exclusive group with James, it is an impressive feat.
Mitchell is hoping that he could also bring a title to Cleveland, similar to what James did in 2016. The prolific guard has been nothing but exceptional this season, averaging 29.5 points on a career-high 48.5% marksmanship on top of 4.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
He has saved the Cavaliers multiple times with his scoring exploits. Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen have all missed time this season, leaving Mitchell as the only consistent force.
He was heartbroken when they were eliminated in the second round of last season’s playoffs, memorably sitting alone at Rocket Arena after losing to the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 to reflect on their journey. Mitchell vowed to bounce back.
Starting in the All-Star Game would have been cool, but surely, Mitchell is more keen on making a deeper run.