Mr. Mitchell keeps adding impressive performances to his resume, with Wednesday night’s tilt with the Sacramento Kings no exception. Rookie Donovan Mitchell finished the game with 34 points (14/19 from the field) with three assists and three steals, too, as the Jazz rolled to a 120-105, and much needed, victory.
The win puts the Jazz at 12-26 for the season, a depressing win/loss column for fans. Many were expecting the year to be rough, but not lottery-bound rough. Many were clinging to hope for a playoff berth, currently a 19% of hope according to FiveThirtyEight’s projections. Sadly, it seems that #TankNote has taken over as the Jazz seem more likely to end up with a high draft pick. Currently, FiveThirtyEight pegs the team to finish with the 11th worst record in the NBA.
ICYMI: It’s a New Year, which means new goals. What should the Jazz focus on in 2018? Read here.
So amidst the sad, dreary season, a ray of light streaks down the lane, crosses over, spins, and dunks with thunder and power that would make Zeus giddy on high. Mitchell has become the reason to watch a full game, despite a blowout not in our favor. Last night was the best of both worlds as the Jazz as a team played well and got the win while the rookie sensation added highlights and outbursts for SportsCenter.
Let’s just enjoy it.
Collected below are some of the best highlights and tweets that showcase Mitchell’s historic run
Donovan Mitchell is averaging 19.3 PPG with a TS% of .556.
The last rookie who wasn’t a big and averaged 19+ PPG and 55+ TS% was Michael Jordan https://t.co/vtrIOmiOkJ pic.twitter.com/83tU9mABqH
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) January 18, 2018
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Donovan Mitchell is in some elite company. pic.twitter.com/m4QC6nzADD
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 18, 2018
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Last night was Donovan Mitchell’s 5th 30-point game. Since 2010, the only other players to that 5+ times in their first 50 games are Blake Griffin and Joel Embiid https://t.co/WFkgIKD6i1 pic.twitter.com/odpnWyDZfm
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) January 18, 2018
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Donovan Mitchell’s 14/19 shooting and 34 PTS in last night’s @Utahjazz win is the highest FG percentage (.737) in a 30-point performance by a rookie guard in nearly eight years! pic.twitter.com/6ERGghu336
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) January 18, 2018
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Donovan Mitchell is only the 2nd rookie in @utahjazz franchise history to average more than 18.0 PPG. The other one is Darrell Griffith (1980-81; 20.6 PPG). #NBA#Jazz#kjreports
— KJ Reports (@kjnbareports) January 14, 2018
Collected below are some of the best highlights and tweets that hyperbolize Mitchell Mania
— Taylor Griffin (@griffdunk) January 18, 2018
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Donovan Mitchell has never lost a playoff game. FACT
Donovan Mitchell is a better baseball player. FACT
Michael Jordan’s career high against the NO Pelicans: 0. Donovan Mitchell: 41. FACT
Donovan Mitchell has nearly 80k more followers on Twitter than Jordan. FACT https://t.co/49I9TqOPDt
— Kris (@5kl) January 18, 2018
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— James Holas (@SnottieDrippen) January 18, 2018
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.@spidadmitchell is the #KiaROY #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/dTJUUOezCh
— Gobert-Mitchell Era (@UtahJazz6Man) January 18, 2018
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When I watch Donovan Mitchell play, it’s hard not to think about the player who left us over the summer.
Spida’s dunks would be so much more special with Lyles cheering from the bench.
— Jonny Benson (@SLCJuanB) January 18, 2018
When you’re one of the teams that passed on @spidadmitchell #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/bR9HJQ6h6j
— Kevin Schippers (@skippertje) January 18, 2018
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Sometimes I still can’t wrap my head around a rookie, no, a player of this caliber doing things like this and he has “Jazz” on the front of his jersey
— moni (@monilogue) January 18, 2018
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Can we make a bigger deal about how Mitchell is basically the same player as CJ McCollum?! As a Rookie!https://t.co/Udk4H9ltRm
— Taylor Charles (@11_taylor_11) January 18, 2018
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Sheesh, that’s pretty silly. Mitchell’s season compares pretty damn closely to McCollum’s, and that’s even considering a big gap in 3-point accuracy. Mitchell’s TS% is actually a hair higher despite that. Just remarkable for a guy’s first half-season in the league. https://t.co/kepX6SG8gS
— Ben Dowsett (@Ben_Dowsett) January 18, 2018
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Are we looking at the ROY??? (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/F63u1FizM0
— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 18, 2018
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Collected below are some of the best highlights and tweets that just show Awesome-Ness
Some HD Donovan Mitchell pics for your phone’s pleasure. (Rocky Widner – Getty) pic.twitter.com/0miYMnrAez
— Kris (@5kl) January 18, 2018
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A worthy @AFCU #InstantRewind ⏪⏪
The itsy bitsy spida went up the water spout//
Down. Came. The. Rain. pic.twitter.com/sh5Xhh5h7I
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 18, 2018
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.@spidadmitchell has his 5th 30+ point game of his (rookie) NBA career
*fans self* pic.twitter.com/6yaTkK2psa
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 18, 2018
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Fancy footwork ? pic.twitter.com/c9uPfE6Z1d
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 18, 2018
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The thrill that is @spidadmitchell pic.twitter.com/yvZATPypYD
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 18, 2018
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Donovan Mitchell dunking on the entire Kings franchise tonight, lawd. pic.twitter.com/H9hiTIlLr3
— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) January 18, 2018
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And then the tweet that Wins the Night
Hey @MerriamWebster, petition to change the definition of “arachnophobia” to fear of @spidadmitchell dunking on you ✍️
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 18, 2018
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Steve Godfrey Writes 