The Cleveland Cavaliers did not have a good first half against the visiting Chicago Bulls. They corrected that in the second half and led by a historic scoring night by their offseason acquisition.
On Monday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers
(24-14) overcame a 21-point deficit late in the first half and a 65-47 first
half deficit to earn a 145-134 overtime win versus the Chicago Bulls (16-21)
led the Donovan Mitchell’s single-game franchise record 71 points with a
career-high tying 11 assists with eight rebounds on 22/34 from the field,
including 7/15 from three-point range and a career-highs 20/25 from the foul
line.
Mitchell’s 71-point was also an NBA-high
so far in 2022-23 campaign. It represents best scoring night of his career,
regular season, or Playoffs. It topped his previous career-high of 46 points,
which he accomplished three times with the Utah Jazz.
It was Mitchell’s 17th 30-plus
point game in the season, including his fourth 40-plus point game of the
2022-23 season so far.
He also joined Hall of Famers in the late
Wilt Chamberlin, Elgin Baylor, and Kobe Bryant, and David Robinson, and
All-Star guard for Phoenix Suns Devin Booker as the only seven players in NBA
history to score 70 points or more in a game.
Highest Scoring Games (50-Plus
Points) In Cleveland Cavaliers History
Points Date
Opponent Result
Donovan Mitchell 71 1/2/2023 Vs.
Bulls Win
LeBron James 57
11/3/2017 At
Wizards Win
Kyrie Irving 57 3/12/2022 At
Spurs Win
LeBron James 56 3/20/2005 At Raptors Win
Kyrie Irving 55 1/28/2015 Vs. Blazers Win
LeBron James 55 2/20/2019 At Bucks Win
LeBron James 52 2/4/2009 At Knicks Win
LeBron James 52 12/10/2005 At Bucks Win
Darius Garland 51 11/13/2022 Vs. Timberwolves Win
LeBron James 51 3/13/2009 At Kings Win
LeBron James 51 1/15/2008 At Grizzlies Win
LeBron James 51 1/21/2006 At Jazz Win
LeBron James 50 3/5/2008 At Knicks Loss
Walt Wesley 50 2/19/1971 Vs. Cincinnati Royals Win
Highest Scoring Individual Performances Of
50 Points Or More So Far 2022-23 NBA
Season
Donovan Mitchell (CLE): 71 Points (career-high)
1/2/2023 Versus Chicago Bulls
Luka Doncic (DAL): 60 Points (career-high) 12/27/2022 Versus New York Knicks
Joel Embiid (PHI): 59 Points (career-high) 11/13/2022 Versus Utah Jazz
Devin Booker (PHX): 58 Points 12/17/2022 Versus New Orleans Pelicans
Anthony Davis (LAL): 55 Points 12/4/2022 At Washington Wizards
Klay Thompson (GS): 54 Points 1/2/2023 Versus Atlanta Hawks
Joel Embiid (PHI): 53 Points 12/11/2022 Versus Charlotte Hornets
Pascal Siakam (TOR): 52 Points 12/21/2022 At New York Knicks
Luka Doncic: 51 Points 12/31/2022 At San Antonio Spurs
Devin Booker: 51 Points 11/30/2022 Versus Chicago Bulls
Darius Garland: 51 Points 11/13/2022 Versus Minnesota Timberwolves
Luka Doncic: 50 Points 12/23/2022 At Houston Rockets
Stephen Curry (GS): 50 Points 11/16/2022 At Phoenix Suns
Three Previous Career-High Scoring Nights
By Donovan Mitchell: All With Utah Jazz
Jan. 16, 2020 At New Orleans Pelicans: 46 Points
Apr. 9, 2019 Versus Nuggets: 46 Points
Mar. 2, 2019 Versus Bucks: 46 Points
Highest Scoring Individual
Performances NBA History
Date Points Opponent Result
Wilt Chamberlin 3/2/1962 100 Vs. Knicks W
Kobe Bryant 1/22/2006 81 Vs. Raptors W
Wilt Chamberlin 12/8/1961 78 Vs. Lakers W
David Thompson 4/9/1994 73 At Pistons L
Wilt Chamberlin 11/16/1962 73 At Knicks W
Wilt Chamberlin 1/13/1962 73 At Chicago Packers W
Wilt Chamberlin 11/13/1962 72 At Lakers L
David Robinson 4/24/1994 71
At L.A. Clippers W
Elgin Baylor 11/15/1960 71 At Knicks W
Donovan Mitchell 1/2/2023 71 Vs. Bulls W
Devin Booker 3/14/2017 70 At Celtics L
Wilt Chamberlin 3/10/1963 70 At Syracuse Nationals L
After scoring just five points in the opening period missing three of his four shots in the period and going 2/4 at the foul line, Mitchell scored 11 points in the second quarter on 4/6 from the field, making 2/4 from three-point range.
Mitchell keyed the Cavaliers comeback
scoring 24 of the Cavaliers 44 points in the third quarter going 6/9 from the
floor and 12/12 from the charity stripe. He followed that up with 18 points in
the fourth quarter on 7/11 from the field. While Mitchell went just 3/6 from
the charity stripe in the period. His third miss was intentional as he was able
to grab the offensive rebound and scored it off the class to tie it at 130-130
with 04.7 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime, Mitchell registered 13 points
on a perfect 4/4 from the field, including 3/3 from three-point range while
making both of his free throws.
The only time that Mitchell was cooled off
was at the conclusion of the game where he was doused with water by his
teammates, who celebrated with Mitchell on the floor of Rocket Mortgage
Fieldhouse.
Before his postgame interview with Bally
Sports Ohio’s sideline reporter Serena Winters, Cavaliers reserve forward Cedi
Osman, who had 19 points making four triples off the bench borrowed the
microphone and chanted the words with those in attendance joining in, “M-V-P!
M-V-P! M-V-P!”
Mitchell said to Winters following the
win, he gave credit to his teammates saying that they fought. While he was the
headliner of the game with said single-game franchise record 71 points that
without his teammates this would not have been possible.
Teammates like starting center in All-Star
Jarrett Allen who had 21 points and eight rebounds on 9/10 from the field.
Veteran All-Star reserve forward Kevin Love who had his fifth double-double on
the season with 12 points and 17 rebounds, making three three-pointers.
Starting forward Caris LeVert also chipped in with 10 points and five boards.
It was a total team effort by Mitchell and
the Cavaliers who outscored the Bulls 98-69 in the second half and overtime
“I know I had 70 [points] and all but I
wouldn’t be here without them. We wouldn’t have been in this position without
guys making crucial plays,” Mitchell who played a career-high 50 minutes versus
the Bulls said.
Back in the early part of September 2022,
Cavaliers led by General Manager Koby Altman swung a blockbuster deal with the
Utah Jazz acquiring Mitchell for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, 2022
First-Round draft pick Ochai Agbaji, 2025, 2027, and 2029 unprotected First
Round Draft Picks and 2026 and 2028 Draft Pick First-Round swap rights.
The Cavaliers, who missed out on the
postseason in 2021-22 felt like they needed a legitimate scorer who can put
them on his back and carry them to victory when called upon.
Mitchell has been that and then some for
the Cavaliers scoring 30-plus points 17 times already this season, including
his fourth game with 40-plus points.
He has provided more than just scoring for
the Cavaliers this season. His playmaking ability along with his prolific
shooting has helped the Cavaliers to the fourth best mark in the Eastern
Conference so far this season, thanks to glowing 16-4 mark at home, winning six
out of their last eight contest at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
Mitchell’s playmaking ability was on full
display in the win versus the Bulls as he scored or assisted on 99 of the
Cavaliers 145 points, the second-best such mark in NBA history. Only Chamberlin
had a better such performance in NBA history as he scored or assisted on 104 of
Philadelphia Warriors 169 points in their 169-147 win over the New York Knicks
on Mar. 2, 1962 at the Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, PA.
Most Points Scored And Assisted On In A
Single-Game NBA History
1962 Wilt Chamberlin 104 For Philadelphia Warriors
2022 Donovan Mitchell 99 For Cleveland Cavaliers
2016 James Harden (PHI) 95 For Houston Rockets
2017 James Harden (PHI) 91 For Houston Rockets
In just his first season with the
Cavaliers, Mitchell has already made his mark on the Cavaliers on both ends of
the floor and has earned the respect from the Cavaliers faithful.
That effort as a scorer and playmaker that
Mitchell displayed was necessary with starters in Garland and second year
forward Evan Mobley out of the lineup because of a sprained right thumb and
right ankle soreness respectably.
“Honestly, it’s just finding a way to win.
I told J.B., ‘You know, don’t take me out. I’m just going to try to find a way
to lead us in every aspect,” Mitchell said to Winters. “Some nights it’s
putting the ball in the basket. Some nights it’s defense. Some nights, it’s
finding guys and just trying to find different things and I had to do a little
something with Darius being out.”
“But I’m truly blessed and humbled that we
got the dub and that’s all that really all that matters.”
This win by the Cavaliers came after a
poor first half where they were down 21 points in the first half and were down
65-47 at intermission and Mitchell said to Winters that head coach J.B.
Bickerstaff got into his players shirts about their lack of effort in the
opening half. Whatever was said, he got his message across as they battled back
to tie it at the end of regulation and forced overtime after Allen forced
Bulls’ All-Star swingman DeMar DeRozan to a forced jump shot in the last seconds
of regulation to force overtime.
After the final buzzer of regulation, the
first to greet the players with a great enthusiasm that were on the floor on
that final possession was Coach Bickerstaff shaking hands and high fiving his
players.
Also, at the end of regulation, Mitchell
said that to Winters he said to Coach Bickerstaff that they came this far that they might as well finish the job.
“We didn’t come out to great to start the
first and J.B. [Bickerstaff] threw some stuff around. Screamed at us a little
bit. Told us to lock in and we all did it as a group. My teammates put me in
right positions and I just made the plays.”
“Crazy series of events. I appreciate the
trust that he has in me. It’s a wild finish. Sometimes you got to laugh it off,
you know and just go out there and continue to do what you do. Like I said, he
put me in positions to be successful. My teammates did and we came out with the
win.”
This amazing performance by Mitchell is on
the heels of 15-point performance in the 103-102 victory at the Bulls on
Saturday night on 5/16 shooting, including going 0/6 from three-point range. It
was the seven time this season Mitchell scored under 20 points on the season,
including in three of the past four games on 24/73 shooting. The Cavaliers
dropped three of those four previous contests.
Mitchell said to Winters that he was
shocked that he scored 71 points. That he had a hard time just getting up the
floor the final minute-plus. But he found a way to get his team over the finish
line.
The Cleveland Cavaliers entering the
2022-23 season have not made the Playoffs since reaching The Finals in 2018,
the final season of now Los Angeles Lakers four-time Kia MVP LeBron James, who
led them to their lone NBA title in 2016.
They just missed out on the Playoffs a
season ago, losing in the 2022 Play-In Tournament at the Brooklyn Nets and
versus the Atlanta Hawks last spring. They acquired Donovan Mitchell this past
summer to bring their four-year postseason drought to a conclusion.
Mitchell’s 71-point performance got the
shorthanded Cavaliers a victory Monday night versus the Chicago Bulls and they
hope his continued great play will earn the Cavaliers their first postseason
berth since 1998 without James on the roster.
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