It is not an everyday scenario wherein an NBA player goes up to drop 70 points or more. However, if you missed the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls’ epic showdown, you perhaps missed the greatest performance of Donovan Mitchell as he thumped 71 points to lead his side to a 145-134 win in OT.
It was the most points scored by an individual since the late Kobe Bryant in 2006, January, against the Toronto Raptors. His 81 points are still topping Mitchell’s 71-point tally against the Bulls. Mitchell not only sent the game to overtime with a buzzer-beating jumper but even took center stage in overtime, knocking multiple shots from downtown and closing out the game from the free-throw line.
“To be there in the record book with guys like Wilt is truly humbling,” Mitchell said in the post-game interview. “I always believed I could be one of the best players in the league. I’m speechless and blessed to be in the company of that greatness.”
Donovan Mitchell talks about how he believes in himself
Maybe even more importantly, Donovan Mitchell’s outburst was part of a 21-point comeback effort. While the Chicago Bulls seemed destined to register the win, this 26-year-old guard had other ideas, as he decided to take matters into his own hand in the dying stages of the match.
“I think I had a game like that once playing NBA2K, but I don’t think I shot that efficiently,” Mitchell said. “But that was in a loss, so this feels that much better.”
Will we witness Donovan Mitchell pulling off the unthinkable with Cleveland Cavaliers in his first season itself? Surely, all eyes are now on him and his upcoming performances.
