BROOKLYN — There wasn’t a lot to say after the Cavs’ newest rout.
Clearly the superior workforce, with a league-best 23-4 file, Cleveland flexed its proverbial muscular tissues towards sub-.500 Brooklyn, who seem to have gone into tank mode following a latest commerce involving level guard Dennis Schroder, the third chief of the workforce. main scorer and common.
One other double-digit win with starters watching from the bench whereas the reserves on the finish of the bench care for the cleanup. One other night time that reveals the numerous hole between the contending Cavs and quite a lot of different Japanese Convention opponents.
A workforce aspires to the title. The opposite dream of Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey or Dillon Harper. Perhaps even a Jimmy Butler acquisition. So what was there to say?
Properly, so much.
A minimum of with reference to Donovan Mitchell’s one-handed dunk that punctuated a superb — and dominant — first half, the Cavs utilizing a 32-5 first-quarter run to open the sport and take their lead. second. -largest half-time lead of the season.
“The rumors within the locker room are that I don’t dunk anymore and I don’t get it,” mentioned Mitchell, 28, a former Slam Dunk champion. “I used to be so joyful to have this chance and be capable of bless my teammates with one thing I’ve executed my entire profession. I used to be very pleased with this second. I used to be very joyful. I used to be very excited. I will in all probability publish it on IG (Instagram) later.
Mitchell, listed at 6 toes 3 inches, now has two dunks on the season. He solely tried 4.
“For me, it is extra of a selection,” Mitchell mentioned with an enormous smile, evaluating it to a place lately taken by Memphis high-flyer Ja Morant. “Why exert this vitality if I don’t must?” Tonight was really an announcement. My buddies in my group chat, you all know who you might be, have been clowning me and speaking about my makes an attempt this 12 months. I mentioned to myself, why not tonight? Why not at residence?
So, the New York native did this to silence his group chats or his prankster teammates?
“I do it for everybody,” Mitchell mentioned. “I had a dunk at this time in warmups and I used to be like, ‘Yeah, I will in all probability do one at this time.’ I did not know the way or once I tried to dunk one and misplaced the ball, so I used to be like, “Alright, I will get one sometime.” My group chat can lastly. shut up. My teammates can lastly shut up.
With lower than a minute to go within the first half Cleveland’s 130-101 triumphMitchell acquired round a Dean Wade display screen with a stay dribble, crossed to Brooklyn backup middle Day’Ron Sharpe, acquired into the lane, bounced off the paint, rose to the rim, set the ball behind his head and launched a vicious one. a one-handed snap that had him heading towards Cleveland’s bench in awe.
“It was good to see him again within the dunk recreation,” teammate Jarrett Allen instructed cleveland.com sarcastically. “It was a superb dunk. A flashback. Classic Donovan Mitchell. He nonetheless has that in him.
“I haven’t seen him dive in a protracted, very long time,” teammate Darius Garland added with amusing from a locker as Mitchell leaned over and listened intently. “Even in warm-ups, when he throws it off the glass, it’s good however it’s not the identical pressure or depth as earlier than. I feel he is approaching 30, that is undoubtedly a factor.
Mitchell’s fierce hit was one in every of many highlights of Monday night time’s victory. It was additionally one in every of many light-hearted chats in a jovial locker room the place gamers devoured New York-style pizza whereas cracking jokes – a typical scene nowadays.
That is what occurs when you could have one of the best file within the league.
