While the Cleveland Cavaliers keep making history with their 14-0 record to start the season, there has been some analysis of how they are getting the job done. As the Cavs are coming off another victory over the Bulls, star Donovan Mitchell has been exceptional to start the season as his usage has been a key reason for success, but not in the way some fans think.
In the aforementioned Cavs win over the Bulls, Mitchell finished with 37 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal. He would play 34 minutes, even though he had been averaging around 30 minutes per game through 12 games, which is a career-low.
That has been a focus for the Cavs so far this season, which is to limit big minutes for Mitchell due to his injury history while at the same time developing their young stars like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, who both have had early success. Mitchell would even say to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps that there are a ton of benefits to fewer minutes.
“My body’s excited, I’ll tell you that,” Mitchell said. “I’m not going to be like, ‘Oh, I saw this coming.’ But what makes me excited is the fact that, man, we haven’t even revved up the minutes. At this point last year, the past three years or so, I’ve been playing 35, 36.
“[Fewer minutes] allows you to kind of be freer mentally, physically and have a trust in the guys that like, ‘Look, I’m not playing as much and we’re still able to push and continue to get better.'”
Cavs keeping Mitchell healthy is “paramount”
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Even in the limited minutes, Mitchell’s heroics have not gone unnoticed for the Cavs, but the team doesn’t want to put too much pressure on the body of their star. He has dealt with various injuries, even some that kept him out of crucial times in the postseason, like last go around against the Boston Celtics, as Bontemps writes.
“Last season, Mitchell struggled with a series of leg injuries that culminated with him missing the end of Cleveland’s second-round loss to Boston,” Bontemps wrote. “The goal this time around is for Mitchell to be ready when it matters.”
“Keeping Mitchell healthy is paramount,” Bontemps continued. “But when coach Kenny Atkinson was hired to replace J.B. Bickerstaff after last season’s second-round exit, another key goal was to get more out of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, the team’s two young stars who have been inked to max contract extensions. Their growth has been evident this season.”
And as mentioned before, the change has opened up for Cavs guard Garland and big-man Mobley to take immense strides.
“Garland is posting career highs in field goal percentage (53.4) and 3-point percentage (44.9),” Bontemps wrote. “Rival scouts noted to ESPN his performance down the stretch last week against the Milwaukee Bucks, when Garland repeatedly attacked reserve guard AJ Green with pick-and-rolls in the closing minutes of a comeback victory.”
“But Cleveland might be most excited about Mobley’s progress,” Bontemps continued. “Which goes beyond a simple scoring uptick. Several people within the team pointed to Mobley’s willingness to grab rebounds and bring the ball up himself — allowing the team’s shooters to get open looks.”
Cleveland looks to stay undefeated, facing the Charlotte Hornets Sunday.
