Cavaliers Star Averaging Career-Low In This Intriguing Area

Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell is currently averaging a career-low in minutes per game.

Nov 6, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts after a three point basket during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Managing a player's workload throughout an 82-game season is one of the toughest jobs for a head coach. However, Kenny Atkinson has handled players' minutes tremendously through the first few weeks of the new year.

In the first 17 games of the season, Donovan Mitchell is averaging just 31.5 minutes per game. This is a career-low for the Cleveland Cavaliers' star guard and by a wide margin.

In Mitchell's first two seasons in Cleveland, he averaged 35.5 minutes a night. He was routinely asked to lead the Cavaliers in crunch time, which could have affected his stamina and energy as the season went on.

Oct 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) dribbles the ball against Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) during the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

There could be a couple of explanations for this drop in playing time.

First is the Cavaliers' margin of victory. Cleveland has been blowing teams out through the season's first five weeks. They currently have a double-digit point differential of 12.39, and the game is typically decided early in the fourth quarter, if not sooner.

These large leads have allowed Mitchell and the other starters to get much-needed rest in the game's closing minutes.

Another possible reason for this drop in minutes is Ty Jerome's emergence as a Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player candidate.

Cleveland hasn't had a true NBA-proven point guard to come off the bench and help lead an offense with their playmaking and scoring ability. Jerome has been just that and more for the Cavaliers so far this season, which is taking pressure off Mitchell and Darius Garland.

The drop in Mitchell's minutes isn't something fans should be concerned about. Instead, it should be something that's being celebrated.

Cleveland's top player is getting the necessary rest he needs during the regular season, so he's fresh and ready to go for a playoff run this spring.