The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls in a tough matchup that ended in overtime. And it was a game for the ages as the game led to multiple records broken both for the Cavaliers and the Bulls. Donovan Mitchell lit up the Bulls team for a record-setting 71 points which has led fans to claim he is the best Cleveland Cavalier player of all time, sparking a debate on social media.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with a 71-point game along with 11 assists and 8 rebounds as well. Mitchell forced the game into overtime by deliberately missing a free throw, grabbing the rebound, and scoring a bucket with 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Is LeBron James the greatest Cavs player?
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Arguably, LeBron James is considered the greatest Cavaliers player of all time. Not only did James set the majority of the records first for the Cavs franchise, he even brought Cleveland its first NBA championship in the history of the franchise.
But with Donovan Mitchell going off, he ended up breaking the record of both LeBron James and Kyrie Irving as they were both tied at 57 points for the most points scored by a Cavs player in a game.
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Fans have made some bold claims over the greatest Cavs player, with one tweeting, ?Greatest cleveland player better than lebron.?
https://twitter.com/ynholfc/status/1610109351553019908?s=20&t=0FamhOwFzme0LavHPVlD4w
Another fan commented, ?It?s confirmed: Donovan Mitchell is the greatest Cavs player in franchise history.?
It’s confirmed: Donovan Mitchell is the greatest Cavs player in franchise history
— . (@Yankees_Heat_) January 3, 2023
Here are some more reactions from Twitter.
happy for mitchell but the refs need to be held accountable
— 𝕮𝖍𝖊𝖊𝖉𝖔𝖊 亗 (@Cheeedoee) January 3, 2023
https://twitter.com/Istealtweetslol/status/1610110662776344579?s=20&t=0FamhOwFzme0LavHPVlD4w
Is this the most efficient 70 point performance?
— Javon LaCour (@lacour_javon) January 3, 2023
Donovan Mitchell may end up being the greatest player ever to wear a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform. Incredible 71 point performance tonight and the season is still young
— TikTok Sex House (@TikTokSexHouse) January 3, 2023
Fans were in disbelief as Mitchell just blew the lid off the Bulls as they had no answer for ?Spida? the whole game.
HISTORY.@ThatsJared | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/3Mi0ilSqfe
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 3, 2023
The Cavs team made sure to give Mitchell the works as soon as he entered the locker room after the game, giving him a chain with the Cavs emblem as well.
Has Donovan Mitchell become the greatest?
Donovan Mitchell scored a career-high point production against the Bulls. Not only did Mitchell set the record for the most points in his career, but he also became the player to score the most points against the Chicago Bulls and also the most points in a game by a Cavaliers player.
Cavaliers 145, Bulls 134 (OT)
DeRozan 44 pts
LaVine 26 pts, 6 assists
Vucevic 20 pts, 13 rebsMitchell 71 pts, 11 assists, 8 rebs
Most points ever scored by an opponent against the Bulls
12th 70-point game in NBA history
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 3, 2023
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This was the 12th 70-point game in NBA history by a player. And the way Mitchell took off after the second half of the game, the Bulls just could not slow him down. Chicago had the lead throughout the game.
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It wasn?t until the overtime period that the Cavaliers got their first lead of the game. And that was it for the Bulls. Cleveland held Chicago to a mere 4 points in OT whereas the Cavs scored 15 points to put the game away.
But does Mitchell take the title of the greatest Cavaliers player of all time away from ?The King?? Let us know what you think in the comments section down below.