Fact or Fiction: This is Donovan Mitchell’s moment

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Each week during the 2024-25 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into some of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward.

[Last time on Fact or Fiction: There should be a trade market for Zion Williamson]

Fact or Fiction: This is Donovan Mitchell’s moment

If given the time you could probably name the nine-man list of 10-time NBA All-Stars who have never won a championship: James Harden, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone and Elgin Baylor. Even the handful of nine-time All-Stars who haven’t won a title are familiar: Paul George, Russell Westbrook, Dominique Wilkins, George Gervin and Lenny Wilkens.

Members of this fraternity are guaranteed of the Hall of Fame, but it is a club to which no one seeks membership, for it means they failed to reach the pinnacle of their profession. It is what separates Malone from Dirk Nowitzki, Paul from Isiah Thomas, Anthony from Paul Pierce. Bragging rights are forever.

We can debate who in the NBA right now will become a 10-time All-Star, though this seems like a pretty good standard: Of the 42 retired players who earned six All-Star bids by age 28, 25 of them finished their careers with double-digit appearances. The vast majority of the others had careers cut short by injuries.

The newest entrants into the list of 28-year-old, six-time All-Stars will be Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell, a pair of surefire selections whose teams are vying for Eastern Conference supremacy. Tatum won his ring last season. He is certified. And Mitchell has his best chance of winning a title this season.

How good of a shot do Mitchell’s Cavaliers have to win it all? Of the eight previous teams to start a season 34-5, as Cleveland has, six won the title. The two other teams had previously banked a title.

TEAM

START

FINISH

NET RATING

1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers

36-3

68-13, NBA champions

+7.7

1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers

36-3

69-13, NBA champions

+10.5

1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers

34-5

65-17, NBA champions

+7.4

1991-92 Chicago Bulls

34-5

67-15, NBA champions

+11.0

1995-96 Chicago…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/fact-or-fiction-this-is-donovan-mitchells-moment-153318046.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-01-16 15:33:00

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