04/18/26 05:39:00
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04/18 17:37 CDT Cavaliers' Mitchell extends NBA-record streak of 30-point games
to 9 in series openers
Cavaliers' Mitchell extends NBA-record streak of 30-point games to 9 in series
openers
By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND (AP) --- Donovan Mitchell has more support on the Cleveland Cavaliers
roster going into this year's postseason run.
But even with the deeper roster, Mitchell still has the mentality of delivering
the statement in the first game of a series.
The All-Star guard did that again Saturday afternoon with a game-high 32 points
in the Cavaliers' 126-113 victory over the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their
Eastern Conference first-round series.
It is an NBA-record nine straight games in which Mitchell has scored at least
30 points in a series opener.
"It's not something like I'm searching for," said Mitchell of trying to put up
at least 30 to start a series. "It's just something that I'm playing my game.
Just trying to set a tone of aggression by getting downhill, taking the open
shots, taking what's given to me and obviously making the defense have to
react."
Mitchell's streak began with the Utah Jazz during the 2020 playoffs --- held at
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, during the COVID-19 pandemic --- when he
scored 57 points against the Denver Nuggets. That remains a Jazz playoff record
and the third-highest-scoring performance in NBA postseason history.
Mitchell is 5-4 during this run in series openers, including 3-3 with Cleveland
since coming over in a trade from Utah in September 2022.
James Harden, who was acquired from the LA Clippers in a trade-deadline
shocker, helped settle the Cavaliers during a close first half, but it was
Mitchell and Max Strus who helped deliver the knockout blows to the Raptors in
the second half.
Mitchell had 13 points in the first half to Harden's 15 as the Cavaliers were
up 61-54 at halftime. Mitchell scored 11 and Strus added eight as Cleveland
dominated the third quarter and were up by 21 going into the final 12 minutes.
"That's his job. That's what he gets paid the big bucks for being aggressive,
taking shots and doing his thing. We understand that, so our job is to just go
out there and fulfill the roles and do other things to impact the game," Harden
said. "I think for me, it's trying to get more assists and trying to get into
the paint. We've got shooting, we've got bigs who are versatile and athletic.
My job is to get them the ball."
Harden finished with 22 points and 10 assists that led to 23 points. Six of the
assists went to center Jarrett Allen and forward Evan Mobley.
Mitchell's 30th point came on a driving layup with 9:28 remaining to extend
Cleveland's lead to 106-84. The nine-year veteran shot 7 of 13 from inside the
paint, which is something that pleased coach Kenny Atkinson.
"I said that before the game, how we've changed our mindset where we've become
more rim- and paint-oriented. Don, he can try to do those pirouette 3s, but I
think he was locked in on getting to the rim and made some really good
decisions," Atkinson said.
Mitchell is averaging 33.1 points in series openers, second-highest in NBA
history for a player who has taken part in at least 10 postseason series. His
playoff average of 28.4 points is tied with LeBron James for sixth-best among
players with at least 50 games.
"I thought we handled the environment and the crowd pretty well. They had a lot
of guys scoring at a high rate and they got a lot of easy shots, getting to the
rim and dunks," said Toronto's Scottie Barnes, who scored 21 points.
___
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