The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of only nine teams to start an NBA season 17-1 or better.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has the Cavs playing at a much higher level than most experts and fans predicted in the preseason, and most of the growth has been in-house. Talented young stars such as Darius Garland and Evan Mobley have taken leaps forward as leaders. Role players like Ty Jerome and Caris Levert have also been vital for depth.
Even with an abundance of talent in secondary roles, the Cavs would not be the best team in the league without Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland’s superstar guard always flies under the radar, but he’s become even more underrated this season.
Never before has a player led a team to such an outstanding start without getting requisite individual recognition. Stephen Curry won MVP in 2016 when the Golden State Warriors went 73-9. LeBron James took home the trophy when the Cavs won 66 games in 2009. Dirk Nowitzki … ditto in 2007 with the Mavs winning 67 games. Starting to recognize the pattern, right?
If Cleveland maintains even a semblance of the pace they’re on, they’ll win at least 65 games this season. This has almost always warranted MVP honors for a team’s best player, but Mitchell isn’t even cracking the top five in most MVP odds.
Gambling experts at Vegas Insiders have placed Mitchell on the outskirts of the top 10 in most betting lines behind Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and even Anthony Edwards (the Wolves are currently out of the playoffs.)
The lack of discourse around Mitchell brings about a larger issue surrounding the hypocrisy behind MVP in the NBA. Mitchell’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but his slight dip in scoring actually should be applauded.
No longer just a volume shooter, “Spida” has evolved into a leader and a player who can impact a basketball game by simply making the right play. Mitchell doesn’t force the issue anymore when his shot isn’t falling, looking instead to move off the ball, pass to his teammates, or get a stop on the defensive end.
These are all MVP qualities that don’t get a lot of flashy headlines, but they are the biggest factor in Cleveland’s ascension to the upper tier of the Eastern Conference. Mitchell understands what’s he doing is invaluable to his team and probably doesn’t care about any accolades.
Hopefully, voters will be forced to say his name as the season moves deeper into the season.
