Mitchell scores 71 points, Cavs beat Bulls 145-134 in OT
CLEVELAND, AP — Donovan Mitchell scored an NBA season-high and franchise-record 71 points — tying the eighth-most in a game in history — as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from 21 to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime on Monday night.
It was the highest-scoring game since Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had 81 points against Toronto on January 22, 2006. Wilt Chamberlain holds the NBA record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962, at Hershey , Pennsylvania.
Mitchell scored 13 points in the extra session after forcing OT by grabbing his own intentionally missed free throw and making a circus shot with 3.0 seconds left, tying the game at 130 and breaking the Cavaliers record with 58 points.
“I have never witnessed such a performance live.” said Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff. “We were treated to one of the greatest performances in NBA history tonight.”
In OT, Mitchell became the 12th player to score 70. The former Utah Jazz standout also had a career high with 11 assists and eight rebounds in 50 minutes, also setting career highs with 20 free throws made and 25 free throws attempted.
Mitchell went 22 of 34 from the field and made 7 of 15 3-pointers carrying the Cavaliers, who were without All-Star guard Darius Garland (sprained right thumb) and forward Evan Mobley (painful right ankle) for the second game in a row.
“Every play he made was a play that was needed,” Bickerstaff said.
DeMar DeRozan scored 44 points, Zach LeVine had 26 points and Nikola Vucevic added 20 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago, which didn’t lag behind in regulation.
Mitchell put Cleveland ahead for the first time — the only lead change of the game — by burying a 3-pointer to open OT. The Cavaliers’ previous record of 57 points was shared by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
The Central Division foes met for the second time in three days. Cleveland was the 103-102 winner at the United Center on Dec. 31.
SPIDA TIME
Mitchell entered the new year in offensive funk, averaging 17.5 points over the previous four games while shooting 32.9 percent on 73 field goal attempts. He now ranks ninth in the NBA with an average of 28.0. “A lot of teams are sending him a lot more bodies, and it’s up to us to help him out,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s up to his teammates to recognize that they have to make teams pay and make plays.”
TIPS
Bulls: G Javonte Green (right knee pain) was unavailable after appearing in the previous three games. Green has missed nine games overall with the injury and will undergo an extensive review Tuesday in Chicago. “He was making progress and then it picked up,” coach Billy Donovan said. … G Lonzo Ball (left knee surgery), who last played Jan. 14, jogs lightly and does limited work on the court.
Cavaliers: Cleveland posted winning records in each of the first three months of the season for the first time since 2016-17. The latter capped off a 16-month winning streak with All-Stars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. … G Ricky Rubio (left knee rehabilitation), F Dean Wade (sprained left shoulder) and G Dylan Windler (sprained right ankle) remain absent. Rubio could resume his activities within two weeks.
FOLLOWING
Bulls: Visit Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
Cavaliers: Host Phoenix Wednesday night.
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