“The Playoffs are competitive even without LeBron James or Steph Curry”: Donovan Mitchell hypes up the ‘new blood’ in the 2021 postseason

Donovan Mitchell claims the Playoffs are competitive even without the likes of LeBron James or Steph Curry dominating in the postseason. 

The NBA higher-ups surely must not have been pleased upon learning that LeBron James and Steph Curry were eliminated from title contention merely two weeks apart from one another. With the two, multi-time champs being incredible draws from casual viewers, not having them in this latter end of the Playoffs must sting viewership. 

However, there is no denying the fact that the NBA is as competitive as it’s been in a long time. Without the Golden State Warriors and a LeBron James-led team in the Playoffs any longer, a brand new champion will be crowned at the end of this 2020-21 NBA season, ending several title droughts and/or bringing a title home to a city for the first time in franchise history.

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The Utah Jazz, for example, have never won a title. Unfortunately for them, the Karl Malone-John Stockton era Jazz resided within the NBA during Michael Jordan’s tyrannical reign over the league. With Donovan Mitchell leading the new-age Jazz team to a possible deep Playoff run, Utah may reach the Finals for the first time in over 20 years. 

Donovan Mitchell defends an NBA Playoffs that does not have LeBron James or Steph Curry. 

Donovan Mitchell recently spoke with David Aldridge of The Athletic about fans claiming the Playoffs aren’t that interesting this season due to the fact that the ‘big guns’ like LeBron James and Steph Curry aren’t in them. Rightfully so, Mitchell defended these year’s Playoffs and called them one of the most interesting in recent memory. 

“I see it, I’m not going to lie. I see the tweets. We all do. The best thing about it is, that’s what makes these games so competitive. The Clippers have never won a championship. We’ve never won one. Phoenix has never won one. You look at how competitive these games are, I think that’s what makes this Playoffs so intense, so exciting.”

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Donovan Mitchell does have a point as all the teams remaining in the postseason, as mentioned before, are trying to bring a chip to a city that has either, never had one or has not had one in nearly 50 years. 

These Playoffs are the perfect jumpstart into the new era of basketball with young guys like Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Nikola Jokic, Trae Young, all dominating at a high level. They’re proving time and time again that they’re here to stay and more importantly; that the league is in good hands.