Is this the best performance of the 2022-23 NBA season so far?
After barely beating the Chicago Bulls on New Year's Eve, Donovan Mitchell had this to say:
"I've been playing quite s--- to be quite honest with you...I've got to fix that and get better. I have to adjust."
Well, he did a lot more than that.
On Tuesday, the Cavs guard flipped the script in their rematch and dropped 71 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists, giving his team a 145-134 overtime win.
In the process, Spida also entered the record books by becoming only the 7th player in NBA history to score 70 points or higher.
The exclusive club he’s joined includes legends Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, David Robinson David Thompson, and the current Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker.
When Luka Doncic posted 60 points, 21 boards, and 10 dimes last week, the basketball world matched that insane performance with insane enthusiasm. Well, Donovan Mitchell had a performance of his own that also broke the internet.
And more than the fans, former and current NBA players reacted reacted to the biblical scoring display of the three-time NBA All-Star.
Nick Young — who’ll play for Philippine-based team Strong Group Realty for a Dubai tilt — wanted Spida’s 71-point game to be hyped just as much as Luka’s 60-point triple-double has been.
Future Hall of Famer Pau Gasol also gave props to Spida’s record-breaking outing.
LeBron James and Kyrie irving held the previous Cavs record of most points in a game (57 points). With his record broken, the King sent his praises to Mitchell through his expert use of emojis.
Kuya Jordan Clarkson had to acknowledge his former teammate’s greatness.
Cavs center Robin Lopez went the comedic route as he pointed out that he and D-Mitch have combined for 72 points.
And of course, the man himself was pretty happy with his first big game of 2023.
We’ve seen a lot of stat sheet stuffing in the 2022-23 NBA season, and there was more than a handful of it in this day alone.
Overshadowed by Mitchell's explosion, the Bulls' DeMar DeRozan actually put up a valiant effort in their matchup, putting up 44 points of his own. Klay Thompson scored 54 in a win against the Hawks, LeBron James poured in 43 to beat the Hornets, while Joel Embiid netted 42 in a Sixers win.
Where would you rank Mitchell's 71-point eruption among this season's best performances?