Analyst Praises Cavaliers Trio After NBA's All-Star Saturday Night

The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the All-Star Break tied for the best record in the NBA, and they deservedly have a strong presence in the All-Star festivities.

Three Wine and Gold players, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley, will play in the All-Star Game on Sunday evening.

However, this trio also participated in some of the NBA's primetime competitions during All-Star Saturday night and received some praise from a renowned basketball analyst.

ESPN's Kevin Pelton graded each player's performance following each of the events and had some kind words for the Cavaliers' representatives.

Mitchell and Mobley started the night on a high note by winning the Skills Competition, and Pelton gave their performance an A-.

He credited the duo as they "aced the course in their second time through."

As for Mitchell, the NBA analyst marveled at his "one-handed pass on target and finished in under 30 seconds, giving Cleveland a winning time of 1:00.4."

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green especially struggled in the passing section, which ultimately led to the Cavs' victory.

Donovan Mitchell reacts from the sideline — Feb 15, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Team Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell (45) of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts as Team Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) of the Golden State Warriors competes in the skills challenge during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Even though Garland didn't win the three-point contest, he certainly proved he belonged in the contest as Cleveland's point guard reached the final round.

Pelton gave DG's performance a B+ and noted that "Garland tied for the second-best score, putting up 24 points in the first round thanks to eight makes in his final 10 attempts. Garland had less success in the finals, putting up a score of 19, and was last of the three competitors."

In the end, these performances don't hold much weight in the grand scheme of things. However, it is awesome to see the Cavaliers impress on a national stage as they continue to gain more respect as legitimate finals contenders this season.

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