Donovan Mitchell Exclusive: Cavaliers All-Star Talks Hot Start, Playoff Seeding

All issues thought of, the Cleveland Cavaliers are off to a fairly good begin to the 2025-26 NBA season.

The Cavaliers are 7-4 and are tied for the third-best file within the Jap Convention. Regardless of key accidents to Darius Garland — he only recently made his season debut — and Max Strus, Donovan Mitchell has led Cleveland to the most effective information within the league.

The 29-year-old All-Star guard is having a sensational begin to the season, averaging 30.4 factors per sport on a ridiculous effectivity of 51.4% from the sphere and 40.4% from past the arc. Mitchell ranks fourth within the league in factors per sport. 

Whereas it’s true that it’s solely 11 video games into the season, Mitchell’s effectivity is one thing that drastically stands out. For perspective, he’s a profession 45.0% shooter from the sphere and 36.8% from past the arc. 

Throughout a season by which he led the Cavaliers to the most effective file (64-18) within the East final 12 months, Mitchell transformed on 44.3% of his area purpose makes an attempt and 36.8% from three-point vary.

He has improved that effectivity dramatically regardless of the Cavaliers lacking two of their key starters for many of this season to this point.

“I feel loads of that is permitting the sport to return to me,” Mitchell advised VideoGamer in an unique interview. “I’m enjoying 34-to-36 minutes an evening, which is greater than I performed final 12 months. So naturally my numbers are going to be greater. I feel for me, simply engaged on taking photographs off the dribble, sort of playmaking, and never essentially all the time being in a rush.

“Final 12 months actually helped me with that. Final 12 months allowed me to sort of get (snug), and permitting guys to create and construct that belief — trusting your teammates to a good greater degree — has allowed me to return out this 12 months and simply proceed to be myself, and simply play.”

Mitchell: I’m Seeing The Recreation Otherwise Now

As Mitchell begins out his ninth season, he singles out being “extra environment friendly” as one thing that’s key for him.

“I all the time speak about the most effective a part of my sport is to be environment friendly,” says Mitchell. “Simply looking for methods to be much more environment friendly. You’re seeing the results of that proper now. The most important factor is simply sustaining that. Persevering with to be that man not simply seven video games, but additionally all through the entire season.”

Mitchell is within the midst of his fourth season with the Cavaliers after spending the primary 5 years of his profession with the Utah Jazz. The six-time All-Star guard offers main props to his former head coach with the Jazz, Quin Snyder, for serving to him mature and turn into an entire basketball participant.

“You let the sport come to you,” says Mitchell of the distinction between himself and earlier in his profession. “Quite a lot of my first two years, I inform folks on a regular basis, I didn’t even count on to be within the NBA. I’m using a excessive for 2 years. You get to the NBA, we beat OKC (Thunder) within the playoffs. I gained Rookie of the 12 months. All people’s speaking about me. 

“You will have that complete 12 months, then subsequent 12 months, clearly, we don’t do nicely within the playoffs,” Mitchell continues to say. “All of it occurred so quick. Now for the following three years, you’re determining the right way to turn into an entire basketball participant. I give Quin Snyder loads of credit score. He taught me loads, and I’m very grateful for him. Whenever you’re in a scenario the place you gotta develop up in a way, I feel that forces you to have a look at issues to get higher and higher. Clearly, expertise is the most effective half about all this. You begin to see issues in another way. I perceive the sport much more, and that’s actually what it’s. Actually what you’re seeing is, how do I make the sport simple for others and simple for myself?”

Mitchell: I Received’t Panic If Cavs Don’t Safe No. 1 Seed in East

The Cavaliers clearly didn’t have the ending to the 2024-25 season that they anticipated, shedding to the 50-32 Indiana Pacers in an upset within the second spherical of the NBA playoffs. Mitchell says it was a “studying expertise” after clinching the No. 1 seed for the primary time in his profession.

When requested if clinching the No. 1 seed is necessary this time round, Mitchell says he would “like to” do this once more, however the extra necessary factor is enjoying nicely getting into the playoffs slightly than clinching the highest seed.

“That’s it — enjoying nicely on the proper time,” says Mitchell of the workforce’s goal getting into the playoffs. “Would we like to do each? 1,000%. I’m not going to take a seat right here and say we wouldn’t wish to be the primary seed. On the identical token, we noticed final 12 months that you are able to do all of the issues, however if you happen to’re not prepared when that point goes and if you happen to’re not essentially wholesome, it doesn’t actually matter what you’ve executed throughout the common season. 

“Would I like to be the No. 1 seed? Certain. But when we’re not, am I going to be panicking? No. So long as we’re enjoying our greatest basketball on the proper time, that’s all that basically issues.”