Donovan Mitchell found himself apologizing for his latest performance despite eclipsing the 30-point plateau with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third time in as many games.
The three-time All-Star ended his mea culpa with a promise to keep his eye on the ball. He will look to begin that stretch on Wednesday night when the Cavaliers host the Orlando Magic.
“We should have been home an hour ago. That’s where my head is at,” Mitchell said after he committed two late turnovers in the fourth quarter of the Cavaliers’ 117-107 overtime win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
“We’ll take the win, but I promise you for the next day-and-a-half, all I’m going to be thinking about is finding ways to execute late game and being the best for my team. And I wasn’t. I’m better than that, and I will be better than that. It’s better to learn these in a win than a loss.”
Mitchell rebounded from what he labeled as an “absolute disaster” of the fourth quarter with a pair of clutch plays in overtime. The Cavs’ prize offseason acquisition finished with 37 points one night after collecting 32 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a 128-96 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Cedi Osman was quick to support his new teammate.
“It just shows how humble he is,” Osman said, according to Cleveland.com. “Everybody makes mistakes, but we’ve got his back and he is our leader. We’re following him. We’re going to be there for him. He had an excellent game. He had 37 points. He has been outstanding on the floor and off.
“I don’t think there’s any reason to apologize.”
Osman also doesn’t have to issue too many apologies after averaging 16 points over his first three games. He has made a 17 of 30 shots from the floor (56.7 percent).
That type of production has been a welcome sight for the Cavaliers, who continue to play without Darius Garland. The All-Star has been sidelined due to a laceration inside his left eyelid, an injury he suffered in the season opener.
Cleveland.com reported Garland is aiming to return to game action on Friday against the host Boston Celtics, but the Cavaliers have yet to provide an official target date.
While Cleveland is looking for its third straight win overall, Orlando remains in search of its first after dropping a 115-102 road decision to the New York Knicks on Monday.
Paolo Banchero finished with 21 points against the Knicks to become the third No. 1 overall pick to open his career with four consecutive games of 20 or more points. Hall of Famers Elvin Hayes (10 games in 1968-69) and Oscar Robertson (six in 1960-61) are the others.
“It’s a process. We’ve got 78 more (games), so we’ve just to got come with a higher level of focus, higher level of urgency,” Banchero said. “We play again Wednesday, so look to get that first win and move on with it, but it’s not going to be easy. No team is going to hand us a win, so got to go get it.”
Wendell Carter Jr. recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds vs. the Knicks, and Bol Bol had 19 points, five rebounds and four blocks off the bench.
–Field Level Media
