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This was a complicated season for Donovan Mitchell. The Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t in a position to make a deep playoff run if Mitchell doesn’t carry them through a turbulent regular season. Simultaneously, the disappointing four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals can be laid more at the feet of Mitchell than anyone else on the roster.
Regular Season Stats
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Mitchell held the Cavs together when their roster was decimated by injuries during the regular season. His efficient scoring and energy were a godsend for a team that was in desperate need of both most nights.
This past season was Mitchell’s second-highest scoring output and his second-highest efficiency. Further implementation and perfection of the short mid-range floater — in addition to his usual scoring output — allowed him to increase production without sacrificing efficiency. Mitchell converted 55% of his looks in the short midrange (four to 14 feet from the basket), putting him in the 95th percentile for scoring guards from that zone.
The increased usage in the short midrange was part of a season-long plan to keep wear and tear off his body. In previous years, he was more of a downhill finisher who initiated contact at the rim to draw fouls and get to the line. This past season, he got the shot off before contact, allowing him to play 70 games (his second-highest since being traded to Cleveland) and the entire postseason.
This was important because the Cavs as a team went as Mitchell did throughout the regular season. Cleveland was 22-6 when Mitchell played and scored 31 or more points. That record got better the more he scored. When Mitchell put up 35 or more points, his team was an outstanding 14-1.
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More importantly, it was Mitchell’s off-the-court leadership that kept the team afloat when they could’ve gone completely off the rails.
“He kept this thing together,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said after their Game 7 win over the Detroit Pistons. “When things weren’t going great, he was the beacon, the light, his leadership carried us on the court. … And when things weren’t going great, he was the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/cavs-final-report-card-donovan-192157805.html
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Publish date : 2026-07-05 19:21:00
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