Cavs Insider

What Donovan Mitchell Said About Cavaliers Dominance Against Orlando Magic

The Cleveland Cavaliers are victorious once again as they face off against the Orlando Magic. Here's what Donovan Mitchell had to say about the back-to-back wins.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell stands on the court in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell stands on the court in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic. | David Richard-Imagn Images

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are once again victorious against the Orlando Magic, this time by a score of 114-98 inside Rocket Arena.

It's the second win in as many games for the Cavs against the Magic. Donovan Mitchell was a major reason behind the victory once again. Mitchell scored 45 points in 35 minutes and was a +23 in the box score. He spoke after the game about his performance and the importance he has to the team.

“For me, it’s kind of figuring out where we’re at,” Mitchell said after the game.

“It’s part of my job as the leader to be aggressive and set the tone. They came out and punched first and I felt like it was my job to go out there and respond. And I found myself knocking some threes down and the ball was going in. Some nights it’s not going to be like that; if they’re blitzing me, try to find guys and get guys going. But tonight, it was seeing what looks I had (in Saturday’s game in Orlando) and I was able to get to my spots (tonight), and the ball was going in.”

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell stands on the court in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell stands on the court in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic. | David Richard-Imagn Images

Donovan Mitchell Shines Once Again

Mitchell was the primary scorer for the Cavs, but he wasn't completely alone. Evan Mobley had 20 points, and Jaylon Tyson had 14 of his own. Tyson showed out shortly after he was named to the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend next month. He proved why he belongs in that conversation.

“(Jaylon)’s just a really good basketball player,” Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said after the win via the team's website.

“The offensive stuff he’s doing is kind of coming out of nowhere. I’ll give our front office credit, they saw it in college. It’s a hell of a pick. The kid has an incredible work ethic; he’s on that Donovan level in terms of taking care of his body. And the last part of it is that we have leaders that support him. Coaches get way too much credit when a guy takes off like that.”

If Tyson continues to play complimentary basketball with Mitchell on the floor, the team should be in good shape moving forward.

The Cavs are back in action tomorrow when they take on LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside Rocket Arena. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.


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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management.

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