CLEVELAND — As Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff pulled out the Junkyard Dog Chain from its case, he turned around and started to say, “We’ve got to give this 44 minutes, 37 points, coming off a back-to-back,” but the clapping in the Cavs’ locker room ensued. Bickerstaff began to walk toward Donovan Mitchell’s locker and placed the Junkyard Dog Chain around his neck.
Mitchell wore the Junkyard Dog Chain around he neck as he entered his postgame conference. Mitchell’s face lit up when he began to discuss the award.
“It meant a lot,” Mitchell said of earning the chain. “The guys in the locker room, when I saw RoLo get it last time, I was like, ‘Oh, this is pretty dope.’ For me, just to feel a part of the group. They’ve accepted me since day one. Just to go out there and continuously just find my way, whether it’s offensively, defensively. Then to get this, ‘It’s awesome.”
Donovan Mitchell receiving the “Junkyard Dog” chain for his performance in today’s OT victory.#KiaTipOff22 pic.twitter.com/gMgGurOoqf
— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2022
Mitchell put on an impressive show in his three first games in Cleveland. He’s shown how he can facilitate and create shots on the offensive end. Bickerstaff observed Mitchell’s abilities as a floor general during training camp, preseason, and the first three matches of the season. Bickerstaff observes Mitchell’s interactions with his teammates and attempts to get them to the right places. Bickerstaff observes Mitchell’s defensive style and offers suggestions to his teammates on how to play.
Defensively, he’s contesting shots, causing deflections, getting steals and grabbing rebounds. He’s staying in front of his man and putting on pressure defensively.
In front of a rowdy Cleveland crowd, Mitchell made his home debut Sunday night in the Cavs’ home opener, and it was a performance filled with thrilling moments and others that raised eyebrows. Mitchell showed his offensive ability as a scorer with a variety of moves, including running dunks and pulling up shots, to scoring a buzzer beater 3 at halftime. Mitchell finished with 37 points and four assists. He also had three steals, six turnovers and five rebounds. The Cavs won 117-107 overtime. Washington Wizards.
“When we came out, we ran out … first of all, it felt like a playoff game,” Mitchell said. “That was nuts. Next, we had the intro. That was amazing. I was able to smile a few more times during the game. I’m trying to lock in, but I’m just looking around like, ‘Holy shit.’ The crowd’s electric. I was told about it. I’ve played here, but I don’t think I ever heard it like that. Actually, I came to a Finals game in ‘16, and that’s when I heard it like that. But to be on this side of it and to hear the crowd just going nuts, it’s incredible. It’s incredible to be a part of that. Like I said out there, 41 of these at the minimum and continuing to go from there once you get to the playoffs, and I’m excited.”
Mitchell has been consistent in his game throughout the season and repeatedly proved that he is the player the Cavs traded just a few weeks ago.
Mitchell holds the franchise record for three consecutive games with 30-plus points to open the season. Mitchell was also the Cavs’ first player to open a season by scoring 30-plus points in back-to-back games. His 100 total points from the first three contests is the most by a Cavs player in a single season. Austin Carr was the previous holder of this title, scoring 90 points in 1974-1975.
He is also breaking records outside of the Cavs’ franchise. According to Elias Sports, Mitchell is the third player in NBA history who scored 30-plis points in his three first games with a franchise. Mitchell is behind Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia – eight straight games in 1959-60 – and Glenn Robinson with Atlanta – three straight games in 2002-03.
“Just a determination to help the team win,” Bickerstaff said. “The ability to pick his spots, take control of the game when he needs to. You know what I mean? The willingness to carry his teammates around with him and the way he embraces them. It’s a needed 37, right? They’re not empty 30s that you’re seeing from him. We need every one of them.”
(Ken Blaze / USA Today Sports)
But in the midst of his – and Cleveland’s – success, Mitchell felt the need to apologize.
Untimely errors proved costly. Two of Mitchell’s six turnovers came in the final 40 seconds of the fourth quarter, which allowed the Wizards to tie the game at 103 and send it to overtime. Mitchell also missed six field goal attempts during the last eight minutes. Bickerstaff was a little surprised by the turnovers. He knows how secure Mitchell can be and how dynamic he can be when he has it in his hand. Bickerstaff said he and Mitchell have to have some more conversations to ensure he’s getting the necessary rest in the game and that he ran Mitchell in long stretches throughout Sunday.
Mitchell offered his apology to those who were still present in the arena after the match, but also to his teammates. These were his errors.
“I personally didn’t like the second half of the game as a whole for me,” Mitchell said. “The third quarter was OK, but the fourth quarter was an absolute disaster in my eyes. That’s where I’ve just got to be better. Ultimately J.B. looked at me and was just like, ‘Let’s go,’ like overtime. That trust allows you to just play and forget about everything.
“Those last three possessions – the turnover, the turnover, and the missed 3 – we should have been home an hour ago,” Mitchell later said. “That’s really where my head is at. We’ll take the win, but I promise you for the next day and a half, all I’m going to be thinking about is finding ways to execute late-game and being the best for my team, and I wasn’t. I missed like five, six in a row… and turning the ball over. I knew I wasn’t my best, but my teammates held (calmed) me down and continuously uplifted me.”
Mitchell was recognized by the guys as taking responsibility for his mistakes, both during the game and afterwards.
“That’s just how he is,” Jarrett Allen said. “He wants to do everything right to the best of his ability. Even when he’s doing things right, he feels like he’s doing it wrong. He is humble. He wants everyone, not to accept him, but to make sure he is doing the right thing.”
Mitchell took the final shot of the game and released a 26-foot stepback 3, which would have given the Cavs the lead just before the clock expired. But the shot was long, and didn’t go in, sending the game to overtime.
Mitchell said that the shot is one his favorite, no matter if he takes it as 2 or 3. Mitchell especially enjoys the shot when he goes right, because Mitchell is a driver downhill so he can create enough space. He loves the step back jumper. He was unsure if it would go in, but he was eventually happy that it did.
“If I had missed it short, I would have been pretty pissed because that means I’m tired, and I didn’t get my legs into it,” Mitchell said. “I thought it was good, and I got to a move that I wanted to get to. Ultimately it didn’t go in, but I’m going to take it again if I’m open and continue to trust it.”
Mitchell stood at the free throw line with 31.5 seconds to go in overtime. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse’s fans began to chant MV-P. Mitchell heard the chants and was grateful for them, even though he doesn’t know if he has earned them yet.
“I’m very appreciative of it, but I got a lot of work to do to get there,” Mitchell said. “But I’m very appreciative of just the love. Like I said, from the first day, from the moment I got off the plane and it hasn’t stopped. And I’m honored and blessed to be able to be in this position. And like I said, I’m just doing my part with the trust of my teammates, of my coaches. Just going out there doing what I can and then when DG gets back, continuing it and just taking it to another level.”
Mitchell was then interviewed by TV after the game. Darius Garland ran over, yelling, “YEAH,” and hugged Mitchell before walking off the court. Soon after, Allen came up to Mitchell and poured a glass of water over his head.
In just three games, Mitchell’s role has slightly shifted. While he started the season opener next to Garland in the starting backcourt, Garland’s eye injury has kept him out for the last two games. Garland and Mitchell were wanted by the Cavs to be stubbed, but Mitchell was unable to play. Mitchell will now lead the Cavs as point guard and facilitate offensive plays.
Bickerstaff pointed out that Mitchell is so much more than a scorer.
“When you’re on the outside looking in, and his time in Utah, he’s always played with another lead guard, so to speak, but he’s got point guard instincts with the ability to score the ball at an elite level,” Bickerstaff said. “He knows how to play the game. It is amazing to see the little things, like how he passes to his teammates. Donovan makes those plays so it’s rare to see a man reach for his hand or flip his head. I’ve been impressed with it, to be honest with you. A lot of guys who are scorers, that’s just what they are. But Donovan is a playmaker, and the scoring just happens to be the right play at the time, and he’s able to make those plays.”
The Cavs rallied behind Mitchell in just a few weeks. He has become a part Cleveland’s culture and has established himself as a leader.
“He’s just a good dude,” Allen said. “That’s what it boils down to. He is easy to talk to; he doesn’t boast about his accomplishments, he is one of the hardest workers every single game in the gym. It’s easy to root for a guy like that and easy to follow somebody’s lead like that.”
(Top Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sport)
