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Cavs Top 3: Donovan Mitchell makes history as the Cleveland Cavaliers storm back against the Chicago Bulls

By Chad Porto

Jan 2, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after scoring 71 points to set the franchise record as the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after scoring 71 points to set the franchise record as the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers saw Donovan Mitchell make history on Monday night.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were looking at yet another game lost due to a slow start, this time against the Chicago Bulls, who the Cavs just saw on New Year’s Eve. Everything was going against the Cavs, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland were out, Kevin Love and Isaac Okoro were in foul trouble and the defense had no answers for DeMar DeRozen.

Then Donovan Mitchell stepped up and had a game for the ages. Mitchell didn’t break, he shattered the Cavaliers’ single-game scoring mark, dropping 71 on the Bulls. He broke LeBron James’ 57 in 2017. Not only did Mitchell set an impossibly high bar for the next Cavaliers player to try and break, but he put himself in the Top 10 all-time for most points scored in the game.

He’s now tied for 10th all-time with Elgin Baylor and David Robinson among single-game performances in league history and is one of just seven players in NBA history to score 70 points in a game in the history of the league.

Mitchell made 22 shots, shot 65% from the floor, and nearly had a triple-double on top of all of this. It may have been the single greatest offensive performance in the Cavaliers’ history. Really, save for Caris LeVert, everyone shot well tonight. A rather damning indictment against the Bulls’ defense.

Interesting note, Mitchell wasn’t the only Cavalier to make history tonight either, but more on Kevin Love later.

The Cavs closed out the game in overtime, finishing the night with a score of 145-134.

Related Story. Cavs Top 3: Kevin Love dusts off his starter role to propel the Cleveland Cavaliers to a win over the Chicago Bulls. light

Cleveland Cavaliers top 3 vs. the Chicago Bulls

1 Point – Kevin Love

38 minutes, 12 points, 17 rebounds, +6 BPM
.400/.333/.500

2 Points – Cedi Osman

36 minutes, 19 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, +15 BPM
.461/.363/.750

3 Points – Donovan Mitchell

50  minutes, 71 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, +19 BPM
.650/.466/.800

Cavs Top 3 Seasonal Standings

  1. Donovan Mitchell –49 Points
  2. Darius Garland – 37 Points
  3. Evan Mobley – 28 Points
  4. Jarrett Allen – 25 points
  5. Cedi Osman – 24 Points
  6. Kevin Love – 17 Points
  7. Caris LeVert – 13 Points
  8. Isaac Okoro – 9 Points
  9. Dean Wade – 3 Points
  10. Lamar Stevens – 2 Points

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