Donovan Mitchell’s underrated effectiveness has affected the Cavs early in the season

Donovan Mitchell was on a scoring mission. Through the first week of the 2025-26 NBA seasonthe Cleveland Cavaliers‘ dynamic guard is averaging 31.3 points in over 33 minutes per night in a four-game sample size with a slash line of .564/.355/.788.

While his free throw percentage should be much better, Mitchell’s ruthlessness is on display.

The six-time All-Star has made less than 80 field goals and is tied for fourth in the league in field goals (44), tied with Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama.

What stands out so far is Mitchell’s dedication to downhill. In his last game against the Detroit PistonsMitchell was an astounding 10 of 10 from inside 12 feet; nine they created themselves. He used his patented swing dribble cradle, weaving from right to left like a charm, reaching for his floaters and toe spins.

“He’s amazing,” Evan Mobley told ClutchPoints among a small group of reporters Monday in Detroit. “He’s had 30 the last game, and the way he did it today, I think it’s very, very effective. He got to his spots and made it easy for him, and eventually they’re going to start to come down on him, and that’s going to make it easy for us. So I think if we keep playing like that, it’s only going to be good for us.”

On the first day of training camp, Mitchell said he focused on shooting off the dribble over the summer: “A lot of times you get shots, you get contact, you get to the rim, which is great, but sometimes I just knock down a simple three, knock down the middle even when you’re tired in different scenarios.”

Cutting the field to two points, Mitchell is tied with New York Knicks point guard Jaylen Branson for fifth (33). The difference between the two is that Brunson made 10 more attempts.

The percentage of effective field goals of the Cavs is higher by 8.2%. when it’s on the floor; it is obviously a much smaller sample size, but its impact has not been as significant since 2021-22. in Utah. And with Mitchell out, Cleveland is down 17.0 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning The Glass.

Donovan Mitchell is still underrated, says Cavs HC

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson doesn’t believe Mitchell gets enough credit for what he does: “I think he’s underrated. First team All-NBA. I don’t know why people don’t talk about him anymore. Probably because he’s not controversial. Short, humble. Does that equate to being underrated because of personality?”

“I think I always talk about my play. I don’t feel like it gets enough credit,” Mitchell said at Media Day a month ago. “He’s making the reads, he’s making the plays, and that might not always lead to assists. I think when we think about playmaking, we think about creating shots for each individual. Sometimes it’s just putting the ball in from a pass up front, or if there’s help on the nail, then passing over.

If there’s one area where Mitchell needs to get better, it’s his self-inflicted wounds. According to Basketball Reference, 10 of his 16 turnovers they came from bad dogs. Even with heavy use, there’s no excuse for mental mistakes at his level of experience.

Mitchell would be the first to admit that, and that’s what makes a true leader.

“He’s not afraid to bounce back,” Sam Merrill said after Cleveland’s home opener win Sunday. “He always says, ‘And I have to do this and I have to do this.’ And sometimes I’m like, ‘Man, it’s okay. You are a guy. You can just yell at us once in a while.’”

Maybe Atkinson is right. A man who puts everyone else before himself doesn’t generate the buzz that the most dramatic league in professional sports demands.

Mitchell is his most prominent critic and that is unlikely to change. However, on the first day of camp, he admitted that he had learned to give himself grace. He won’t be perfect, but as long as he continues to put in the time and work, the results will come with it.

“Do I want to win MVP? Do I want to be first team? Do I want to do all these things? Sure. But that comes with team success,” Mitchell said. “So as long as the team is successful, everything else will follow.”

“You always have individual awards, but one thing I’ve learned in my time is that they don’t just come, and we’re fighting to get into the playoffs. As long as we continue to do our job and do what we need to do and play at the level I’ve always played at, everything else will fall into place.”