CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell scored 23 factors in his first recreation towards the Utah Jazz since they traded him to Cleveland this summer time and Jarrett Allen added 20, main the Cavaliers to a 122-99 win on Monday night time.
Mitchell, who got here in averaging 36.9 minutes, performed simply 23 and acquired to take pleasure in a fourth quarter enjoyable on the bench.
Mitchell spent 5 seasons with Utah earlier than being dealt to Cleveland on Sept. 1 in a shocking blockbuster commerce. The Jazz despatched the three-time All-Star to the Cavs in change for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, rookie Ochai Agbaji and three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027 and 2029).
Mitchell’s arrival has legitimized the Cavs, who barely missed the playoffs final season with the one of many league’s youngest rosters. He is been all the pieces Cleveland hoped, averaging 29.5 factors per recreation whereas offering management.
Darius Garland added 17 and Cedi Osman 22 (20 within the fourth throughout prolonged rubbish time) for Cleveland, which has gained 4 straight, and improved the NBA’s finest residence report to 15-2
Reminiscence Lane
Mitchell and first-year Jazz coach Will Hardy turned shut whereas with Staff USA on the 2019 World Cup, spending a couple of month collectively in China.
4 days after Hardy was named Utah’s coach in June, he occurred to be at Mitchell’s home in Connecticut discussing plans for the long run when the Jazz traded star heart Rudy Gobert to Minnesota.
All the pieces modified, and Mitchell’s commerce adopted.
“Now we have since laughed about having that second collectively and simply how bizarre that’s,” Hardy stated “Particularly as a first-time head coach. However that is the a part of this enterprise that you may by no means predict. Positively a second I’ll always remember.”