By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Donovan Mitchell led the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday to a 122-99 win over the Utah Jazz team that traded him this offseason.
Prior to the game, he opened up to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears about his time in Salt Lake City and his relationship with former teammate Rudy Gobert. He told Spears in an interview published Monday that “we did a lot of special things” while acknowledging that a Jazz team led by himself and Gobert that never advanced to the Western Conference finals fell short of expectations.
“Basketball just didn’t work out,” Mitchell said of his relationship with Gobert.
Mitchell, who played five seasons in Utah, also spoke about the challenges of being a Black athlete in a predominantly white city, an experience that he says has shifted for him in Cleveland. He described his experience in Utah as “draining.”
“If I’m being honest with you, I never really said this, but it was draining,” Mitchell told Spears. “It was just draining on my energy just because you can’t sit in your room and cheer for me and then do all these different things.”
The change of scenery has suited Mitchell well. He led the Cavs with 23 points in just 23 minutes on Monday and rested on the bench during the fourth quarter of the blowout win. He hit 4 of 5 3-pointers while shooting 8 of 12 from the field. The effort reflects his norm since the trade with Mitchell averaging a career-best 29.5 points per game while shooting 50.3% from the field and 42.4% from 3-point distance. His performance is generating MVP buzz. It’s also resulting in wins.
Monday’s victory improved the Cavs to 21-11, including an NBA-best 15-2 at home. After the game, Mitchell kept the conversation about basketball while acknowledging that “it’s different when you’re playing against your friends, the guys you’ve been in a locker room with, battled with.”