Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has been named the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Jan. 2 to Jan. 8.
Mitchell averaged an Eastern Conference-best 37.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1 steal in 38.7 minutes per game. He also shot 53% from the field and 86.1% from the free throw line, while being the only East player to average at least 30 points, five rebounds, and seven assists.
A major contribution to Mitchell's week average was his 71-point performance in last Monday's Cavs' 145-134 overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls. In the highest individual scoring outing since Kobe Bryant's 81 points on Jan. 22, 2006, Mitchell shot 22-34 from the field, made seven of 15 3-pointers, and went 20-of-25 from the foul line. He also set the Cavs' franchise record, previously held by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, who each posted 57-point games.
Following his historic outing, Mitchell scored 20 points while totaling nine assists and six rebounds during a 90-88 Wednesday comeback over the Phoenix Suns. Mitchell closed out the week by notching 22 points (7-12 FG, 6-6 FT), a steal, and a block during Cleveland's 112-98 win at Phoenix on Jan. 8.
In 36 appearances this season, Mitchell is averaging a career-high 28.8 points, which currently ranks (eighth among all NBA players. He is also posting career highs in field goal percentage (.488), three-point percentage (.405), and free throw percentage (.874) to go with 3.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.5 minutes per game.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James took the Western Conference Player of the Week honors.
