Donovan Mitchell on an Unprecedented Postseason Run for Cavaliers

The former Louisville guard has twice accomplished a statistical feat that had never been previously done once by any other player in NBA history.

May 11, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Cleveland Cavaliers might currently be trailing the Boston Celtics 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but it certainly isn't due to the efforts of one Donovan Mitchell.

Against the top team in the NBA, the former Louisville standout and current superstar guard has given it his all so far in this series. Over the first three games of the Cavaliers' series against the Celtics, Mitchell is averaging 31.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 51.5 percent from the field.

This momentum started in the final two games of Cleveland's opening round series against the Orlando Magic. Mitchell scored 89 points in that stretch, pouring in 50 points in game six and 39 points in game seven. It was the second-most points in games six and seven in a single-series in NBA history.

Put it all together, and you have a stretch of postseason games that has never been accomplished before. Per NBA Stats, Mitchell has recorded 180-plus points and 20-plus three-pointers made on 50 percent field goal shooting over a 5-game span in the postseason. While this is the second time in his career that he has done so, no other player in NBA history has ever done this once.

The first time he accomplished this feat was during the opening round of the 2020 Western Conference playoffs aganst the Denver Nuggets when he was a member of the Utah Jazz. Over the first five games of that series, he averaged 37.6 points, made 22 threes and shot 54.5 percent from the floor. Despite taking a 3-1 series lead, the Jazz lost in seven games.

Currently in his seventh year in the NBA and second with Cleveland, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound shooting guard put together his fifth-straight NBA All-Star season. Playing and starting in 55 games during the regular season, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game, while putting up a 46.2/36.8/86.5 shooting split.

The fourth-seeded Cavaliers will be back in action on Monday, May 13, when they host the top-seeded Celtics for a pivotal game four at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. EST on TNT.

(Photo of Donovan Mitchell: David Richard - USA TODAY Sports)

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