Davion Mitchell reveals the real reason Miami ‘fell in love’ with him

With The Miami Heat are in the midst of a West Coast trip it didn’t work in their favor, as right now after Thursday’s 127-110 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, the team is also dealing with a myriad of injuries. Besides that Heat star Tyler Hero misses the whole waythe other who was in the composition and was out of it Davion Mitchellwho has been a revelation for the team this season.

Mitchell has been a consistent benefactor for Miami, serving as a mainstay in the starting lineup as the team’s point guard, who, in addition to being an improved playmaker, is also one of the Heat’s best defenders. With him questionable for Saturday night’s game against the Utah Jazz with a sprained left shoulder, he was asked if he could limit the run through opposing screens, which he did so well.

Besides saying why he won’t, he also goes into what made Miami ‘fall in love’ with him at No. 1 when he was originally traded to the team in the Jimmy Butler deal last season.

“No,” Mitchell said, according to The Miami Herald. “That’s who I am, honestly, that’s how I got into this league, that’s why the Miami Heat fell in love with me, and the way I played on that end of the floor. And I love doing it. It’s not that I feel like I have to do it. I just love doing it. It makes the game fun for me, so I do it.”

The Heat’s Davion Mitchell is dealing with a long-term shoulder injury

Although it is The Heat beat the Sacramento Kings on Tuesdaythe rest of the way was a concern, seeing Monday’s losses to the Golden State Warriors and the aforementioned loss to the Trail Blazers.

It would help to have some consistency in health, as Miami is dealing with injuries not only to Mitchell and Hero, but also to Norman Powell (questionable Saturday with a back injury) and Kel’el Ware, who was sent home to nurse a hamstring injury.

As for Mitchell, he suffered a shoulder injury running through a screen in a Jan. 13 win over the Phoenix Suns. Mitchell would miss the next two games and then play in the next two before re-aggravating the situation on Tuesday, forcing him to sit out Thursday.

“He likes to defend,” Spoelstra said of Mitchell, who is averaging nine points and 7.2 assists per game. “He likes to take on a challenge. In this modern NBA, you’re going to have 50, 60 pick-and-rolls on the floor every night. If you’re guarding one of the top options, you’re probably going to have 25 of those. It takes guts, it takes toughness to be able to fight through screens. He was able to be such a tank.”

It remains to be seen if Mitchell will miss more time as the Heat are 23-22 heading into Saturday’s game against the Jazz.