Darius Garland showers ‘legendary’ Donovan Mitchell with praise after he bumps LeBron James in Cavs history books

3 Min Read
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers legend LeBron James holds countless spots in the organization’s history books, but thanks to current Cavs star Donovan Mitchell, James now holds one less record in Cleveland.

Mitchell posted his third consecutive 40-point game on Sunday, giving him 12 on the season. That now puts Mitchell atop the team’s single-season list for 40-point games, stealing the top spot from James.

He’s also the first player in franchise history with 40 points in three straight regular season games.

Fellow Cavs star Darius Garland had a lot to say upon hearing about that feat.

“It’s legendary,” Garland said. “It’s a bucket. It just shows the work that he puts in and the ability to go out and do it at a high level for a stretch like that. I’m super proud of him. I want him to be more aggressive, want him to get to 40-and 50-balls, whatever it takes to win the game.”

Over his last three games, Mitchell is averaging 42.0 points per contest while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from deep. The four-time All-Star is in the midst of a remarkable run, and it’s coming at an exciting time for the Cavs as they prepare for their first playoff appearance in years.

A few of Mitchell’s 40-point games this season have easily exceeded that 40-point threshold, including his historic 71-point showing in Cleveland’s first game of 2023. The Cavs newcomer has already given fans some unforgettable moments, and the hope is that there are many more still to come.

The next box for Mitchell to check with the Cavs is to lead the team to some playoff success. The former lottery pick has lots of playoff experience and a fantastic track record in the postseason, both of which are good signs for Cleveland.

In 39 career playoff games, Mitchell owns averages of 28.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per contest. He’s made the playoffs in every year of his NBA career, so he knows exactly where the Cavs need to go from here.

One storyline worth noting is the fact that Mitchell has never made it beyond the second round of the playoffs in his NBA career. The Cavs would love to change that this season, though it’s likely going to be a tough task. As things currently stand, Cleveland is on track to play the New York Knicks in the first round before likely meeting the Milwaukee Bucks after that.

But with the way Mitchell is playing right now, nothing is off the table for the 2022-23 Cavs.

Share This Article
Jason has covered the NBA for multiple years and is very excited about the future of the Cleveland Cavaliers.