Donovan Mitchell is still very new to the Cavaliers’ record books but after Monday night’s 145-134 come-from-behind overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls, Mitchell's 71 points are the most in franchise history and the most in the NBA since 2006. The craziest part about this record-setting night however was how it started as the Cavaliers were playing with a short bench as Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Dean Wade once again.
Throughout the first half, the Wine and Gold struggled to find their footing and their 3-point shot as they connected on only 5 in before halftime. The frustrations boiled over with about 2 minutes left in the 2nd quarter as JB Bickerstaff was given a technical foul for arguing a Donovan Mitchell foul call.
Mitchell then got a technical foul of his own arguing an offensive foul in the final seconds as Chicago took an 18-point lead into the break.
“We didn't look like us, I think when you play games like this, understanding that we won game 1(on Saturday) and there's different preparation, different tone they want to set,” said Mitchell when asked about the rough first half. “They said in the press they were tired so they came out there and played with energy, you have to give them credit and they made it tough but you know we found some type of resiliency as a group on the defensive end. Offensively yeah everyone's great but we found a way to get stops, crucial rebounds, crucial everything and I think that's what ultimately got us to that point and sure we had some things go our way.”
In the 3rd, Mitchell and the Cavs showed signs of life and started driving to the basket and to the free throw line to cut the Bulls lead down to 5 heading into the 4th. Mitchell went a perfect 12-12 from the stripe to tally 40 before the final stanza.
The Bulls continued to buckle in the 4th as Mitchell tallied his first 50-point regular season game in his career. The Cavs came all the way back to tie things at 123.
“You're in the moment thinking, how do we get back in this game now, what do we have to do to try to win,” said JB Bickerstaff when reflecting on his guard’s legendary night. “I think we got to a point where we had brought ourselves back, gained the lead and he hits a big three to stretch it you and it gives you an opportunity to exhale a little bit and then you know realize what exactly is playing out in front of you.”
Nikola Vucevic, however, connected on a 3 as the shot clock expired for the Bulls to take a 126-123 lead with 37 seconds left. Mitchell however was able to tie things up again at 130 after putting back an intentional miss from the free throw line with 3 seconds left and send things to overtime. Mitchell ended regulation with a career-high 58 points but none more important than the 2 from the game-tying put back.
“It was his understanding of what was needed to be done,” said Bickerstaff. “He makes the first one which is most important and then we were able to make our subs to get some of the bigger guys in, they could kind of block out and find that hole, and ‘Basketball Gods’ love these moments and when you do the things that you're supposed to do, they show you favor and I think tonight was an example of that.”
Mitchell picked up where he left off in overtime as he connected on a 3, raced down for a breakaway layup, then hit 2 more from downtown to push his total to 69, the most in the NBA this season, and give the Cavs a 140-130 lead and although it was a special night for Mitchell, it was an equally special night for his teammates.
“This performance means the world, this is crazy like I try to get my teammates all the credit because at the end of day they trust me enough to make these plays and they immediately go right back and say ‘Nah, like screw that like it's you’ and it just gives you confidence,” said Mitchell while praising his teammates’ influence on his record-setting performance. “I hadn't played to my best of my abilities at Toronto, in Brooklyn, Indiana, last game (against Chicago), I haven't been the best and just trying to just force myself into the game and be a leader but when you have guys that are consistently in your ear every second telling you to keep going, keep going it makes life very easy.”
Coach Bickerstaff also broke down why it wasn’t easy for his star guard tonight, unlike many of the other highest scoring games which came in blow-outs.
“His determination to get the win, it was a response, and understanding who we are, how you lead, and how you present yourself in the moment, and what's expected of us,” said Bickerstaff. “Obviously he went above and beyond but he wanted to show how much it mattered and I don't know how many guys in our league who can, in the moment, when it's needed, go out and have a performance like he did tonight. This wasn't one of those games where we were in control, or it was back and forth, or it was a blowout in our favor, like every single play that he made was a play that was necessary, and you know I don't know how many guys you know in our league they can they can do what he did tonight.”
Now Mitchell is just the 6th player in NBA history to score more than 70 points in a game as he joins David Robinson, Elgin Baylor, David Thompson, Kobe Bryant, and Wilt Chamberlain.
“It's humbling, I'm speechless to be honest with you, for me not only did I do that but I did it in an effort where we came back and won and it's how we won,” said Mitchell. "This is nuts to be honest, I'm extremely blessed, humbled that I'm in that company, in that group. I've always believed I can be one of the best players in the league but I have to keep working and this is the big milestone but at the end of the day we have to continue, those guys all won at the highest level and that's ultimate goal but to be there in the record books with them is truly incredible.”