The Cleveland Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James left them. However, their playoff campaign didn’t exactly start the way they would have hoped for it to. Taking on the New York Knicks in the first round, Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs couldn’t contain Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson in the 4th quarter.
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Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 27, Julius Randle had 19/10, and Josh Hart added another 17/10. The Knicks took down the Cavs 101-97 in Game 1 at Cleveland.
It was a close contest all night long, with eight ties and eight lead changes. However, the Cavaliers’ offense seemed to be lacking. Only Donovan Mitchell had it going for the Cavs. While he may not have led the team to a win, his performance tonight sure led him to the NBA History books.
Shaquille O’Neal shares Donovan Mitchell achieving Playoffs milestone
The NBA Playoffs are the time when a player’s mettle is truly tested. One can be the best player in the regular season, but if they cannot perform when it matters the most, they end up losing respect from their audience.
So far, Donovan Mitchell has been to the playoffs every year since he was drafted in 2017. Sadly the Jazz hadn’t been able to move past the 2nd round. However, Spida may hope to change that here in Cleveland. Tonight marked the 40th playoff game of his career, and Mitchell reached 1,143 playoff points.
According to ESPN, there are only six players, including Michael Jordan, who had more points in their first 40 post season games.
Donovan Mitchell is up to 1,143 career playoff points. The only players with more through their first 40 postseason games:
▪️ Michael Jordan
▪ ️Wilt Chamberlain
▪ ️Elgin Baylor
▪️ Allen Iverson
▪️ Oscar Robertson
▪️ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar pic.twitter.com/aUocS0WedN— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 16, 2023
It’s quite an impressive feat, and when Shaquille O’Neal saw the same, he couldn’t help but share it on his Instagram.
Shaquille O’Neal shares the elite company Donovan Mitchell got himself into😮 pic.twitter.com/vgKA9pjGJk
— What are NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) April 16, 2023
To be in such a company and to receive praise from legends is quite an honor.
Can Spida lead the Cavs to the 2nd round?
The Cavaliers didn’t have their offense going tonight, and it showed. However, the playoffs are a race to four, not just a one-and-done scenario. If the Cavaliers can get going and give Spida the support he’ll require, this team has a lot of potential.
While the Knicks won tonight, the contest on Tuesday is the Cavs’ chance to bounce back. If they can split the games at home and pick a win on the road, stopping them would be very difficult.
