Even after dropping back-to-back games, the Cavaliers have been one of the best teams in the league in the early portion of the 2022/23 season, holding an 8-3 record and the NBA’s second-best net rating. Three-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell is the primary reason for Cleveland’s success, averaging career highs of 31.9 points and 5.8 assists on a career-best shooting line of .514/.448/.862 in 10 games (39.2 minutes per contest).
Mitchell spoke to Sam Amick of The Athletic after Wednesday’s loss to the Kings, addressing a number of different topics, including the surprising trade that sent him to Cleveland from Utah. It’s worth checking out in full for any subscribers to The Athletic. Here are a few highlights:
On why he has fit so well with the Cavs:
“I look at who I’ve been in my career — a guy who could score the ball. (But) I’m asserting myself on a different level defensively. Having another dominant guard (in Darius Garland) who can get you 30 (points on any given night) and also having ‘Vert (Caris LeVert), who can do the same, it relieves that pressure a little bit and allows you to be more engaged defensively, to be there and have the energy. And then on top of that, my coaches (head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and his staff) and my teammates allow me to just go, to be myself — whatever that means.
It’s been scoring for the past few games, but it’s passing, it’s leading. I’m being myself, and honestly I have (former Jazz teammates) Ricky Rubio and Mike Conley to thank for that. Joe Ingles. They’ve taught me different things. So being able to come here in a group where we all have the same intentions (has been good). Last year, I didn’t play my best basketball. I had the worst playoff series of my career. So that stings — being out early. Then you look here, and they were done a week and a half before I was, so they have that same feeling.
On if he was looking for a change of scenery in the offseason:
“I felt it was coming, you know? So I embraced it and I started to accept it. I mean, yeah. After Rudy (Gobert) got traded, it was like, ‘Okay, this is the direction we’re going, like, why not?'”
On his relationship with Gobert and their tenure with the Jazz:
“You know, we gave Utah a lot of special moments. But you know, we didn’t get the job done. Him and I have a great relationship, despite what people may feel. On the court, it didn’t work. I don’t hate Rudy. He doesn’t hate me. It was just one of those things where it just didn’t work out, and I feel like we live in a world where everybody’s gotta hate each other and there’s gotta be some negative thing and that’s just not the case. When I see him on Sunday, I’m gonna give him a hug and smile and laugh. And when we’re on the court, it’s time to go at it. That’s really what it is.”
“…..and I feel like we live in a world where everybody’s gotta hate each other and there’s gotta be some negative thing and that’s just not the case.”
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Don’t know about the world, but that is the way of Americans for years now.
From a basketball player.
One would expect with all the deep thinkers with fancy college graduate degrees or people making millions of dollars a year for going on TV and telling us why the other side is awful would have given us this insight long ago.
Mitchell speaking some truth. He’s right, nobody wants to hear about real problems, and real harm. So they invent fake stuff that can be dismissed, handled, or ignored easily with little discomfort
Like a liked tweet that took this website Over for 2 weeks perhaps ?
” fancy college graduate degrees”
Yeah, bro, everyone who went to college is super fancy.
Technically, he said their degrees are fancy.
He’s one of the good guys.
Donavans real secret is that he is back in the city and playing in the eastern conference style basketball he is from.
Utah has a way of tamping down ones city instincts. Player love it there on one hand and have all but outright said after leaving there, their game expanded back to what’s natural for them on the other.
He is in his element.
He is also the real MVP of the leauge right now. ✅️ He is plugging in the holes on both sides of the ball which is enabling everyone else to relax and do their thing without worrying about all the choppy stuff that comes with the game.
They have each other covered and are legit to play the Jazz in the finals.
Cavs are lucky to have Mitchell. Watched that Warriors gm last night. He’s all about the team. And he just fits right in there. Cavs had that gm. But Curry had other ideas. I like what I saw with Cavs. They are playing both ways as a team. Sky is the limit for them.
Cavs are well built, have all that it takes to win the chip. Are they too young or not synchronized yet, the playoffs will tell but Donovan is definitely playing as MVP. Wishing them all the best. They are fun to watch.