Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell keeps inching closer to the NBA’s elite.
On Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, Mitchell took over in the fourth quarter. He scored 11 straight points in the game’s final three minutes, including a 26-foot, step-back, three-point jump shot with 1:18 remaining. He finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists on 42.9 percent shooting.
Mitchell’s late scoring outburst helped the Cavaliers seal a 114-106 victory, improving to 13-0. According to Kevin Cooney of the Associated Press, Cleveland is the sixth team in NBA history to start 13-0.
Mitchell has made five All-Star games in eight seasons with the Cavaliers and Utah Jazz. However, he’s become more efficient this season, taking his game to the next level.
Through his first 12 games, he shot a career-high 41 percent from beyond the arc. Additionally, he shot 46.8 percent from the field, the second-best mark of his career.
It’s still early, but Mitchell is generating some MVP buzz. As of Wednesday night, FanDuel Sportsbook gives him the seventh-best odds (+3000) to win the award.
If the Cavaliers keep rolling, Mitchell could remain in the MVP conversation for the rest of the season. Cleveland is first in the Eastern Conference ahead of the Boston Celtics (10-3), the defending champions.
