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Top 10 Cavs Player Performances in the Donovan Mitchell Era

Since 2022, here are the ten greatest individual performances from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Miles Irvin|
Jan 2, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after scoring 71 points to set the franchise record as the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after scoring 71 points to set the franchise record as the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Cleveland Cavaliers

I based this list off a few key ingredients: 

  • Magnitude of the game
  • Historic importance for both the Cavs and the NBA
  • How it felt watching the game live

Honorable Mentions

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Oct 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin (91) defends against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Sam Merrill - Game 7, East Semis @ Detroit (2026)

23 PTS, 7-10 FG, 5-8 3P

Caris LeVert - Oct. 28, 2022 @ Boston

41 PTS, 4 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL, 12-21 FG, 6-8 3P, 11-12 FT

Jaylon Tyson - Jan. 16, 2026 @ Philadelphia

39 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 13-17 FG, 7-9 3P, 6-6 FT

Ty Jerome - Game 1, Round 1 vs Miami (2025)

28 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 10-15 FG, 5-8 3P

Darius Garland - Game 2, Round 1 vs New York (2023)

32 PTS, 3 REB, 7 AST, 8-17 FG, 6-10 3P, 10-11 FT

10. When Evan Mobley frightened the league in Charlotte

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Dec 7, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) shoots over Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) during the third quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

CLE 116, CHA 102

Dec. 7, 2024 - 41 PTS, 10 REB, 3 BLK, 16-23 FG, 6-8 3P, 3-4 FT

Evan Mobley has always been one of the elite defenders in the NBA. But if the offense clicks for Mobley, that changes everything for the Cavaliers and their title chances. Performances like this one keep the hope alive for Mobley fans.

The 2025 Defensive Player of the Year started off this Saturday matinee with a 23-point first quarter, where he shot 9-10 from the field and a perfect 5-5 from three. Mobley outscored the Hornets by himself, 23-18. This victory put the Cavs at 21-3 through 24 games.

9. Jarrett Allen’s career night at Portland

CLE 130, POR 111

Feb. 1, 2026 - 40 PTS, 17 REB, 5 AST, 4 BLK, 16-23 FG, 8-12 FT

The night before rumors swirled about the Darius Garland for James Harden swap, Cleveland’s longest tenured player had the night of his life in Portland. With his stat line against the playoff-bound Trail Blazers, Jarrett Allen became the first player in NBA history to record a 40-points, 15-rebound, 5 assist game in under 30 minutes.

This performance wasn’t against an inferior defensive squad, either. Allen did this against Portland’s center tandem of Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams, two All-Defensive caliber bigs. As one of the last remaining old-school bigs in the league, Allen showcased his full arsenal of footwork, finishing and short roll facilitating.

8. Darius Garland historic 4th quarter in home loss to Timberwolves

MIN 129, CLE 124

Nov. 13, 2022 - 51 PTS, 6 AST, 16-31 FG, 10-15 3P, 9-13 FT

In the absence of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland proved that he was still an emerging All-Star point guard. After the Cavs trailed by 20 points entering the fourth quarter, Garland completely took over, scoring 27 of his 51 points in the final frame. He nailed 6 threes, running pick and rolls with Robin Lopez on nearly every possession, and nearly brought Cleveland back to victory.

His most memorable triple was when he put former Cavalier Taurean Prince on skates with a behind the back move, before drilling the shot to cut Minnesota’s lead down to 2.

7. Game 7 Jarrett Allen sends the Raptors home

TOR 102, CLE 114

May 3, 2026 - 22 PTS, 19 REB, 3 BLK, 7-11 FG, 8-14 FT

After many years of being known for “the lights being brighter than expected”, Jarrett Allen saved the Cavs season with his physicality and dominance in the paint. In the Raptors series last season, Allen didn’t have the greatest impact through the first six games, but he showed up in Game 7.

Toronto and Cleveland were tied at halftime after the Cavs made a rally near the end of the first half. But the third quarter opened things up for the Wine and Gold, thanks to Jarrett Allen. The Fro went for 14 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter alone! This was certainly a monumental performance in Cavalier history, as if the Cavs failed to win a playoff series as the most expensive team in the league, major changes could have been made.

6. Evan Mobley’s clutch finish to Game 5 in Detroit

CLE 117, DET 113

May 13, 2026 - 19 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST, 3 BLK, 6-13 FG, 2-3 3P, 5-6 FT

In the next round against the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland was facing their biggest challenge in Game 5. The Cavs had lost their first five road games of the playoffs in Toronto and Detroit. They needed a win to give themselves two chances to clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Donovan Mitchell struggled against Ausar Thompson and James Harden had another inefficient turnover filled game. But luckily, in the clutch, Evan Mobley came through. The Pistons had a seven-point lead with two minutes remaining, and Mobley scored seven straight to tie the game and force it to overtime. Mobley made a dunk, a top of the key triple and two free throws in the final minutes to give Cleveland the momentum they were looking for.

5. Donovan Mitchell leads Game 7 comeback vs Orlando

ORL 94, CLE 106

May 5, 2024 - 39 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST, 11-27 FG, 15-17 FT

Donovan Mitchell showed why he’s a playoff riser in the 2024 Orlando series. When the Cavs needed the face of their franchise to step up, Mitchell brought it. Cleveland trailed by 17 in the first half, looking like this could potentially be Mitchell’s final game as Cavalier.

But a monstrous second half by Cleveland allowed them to breeze to the Game 7 victory. He was relentlessly attacking the rim, getting to the free throw line and grabbing defensive rebounds like he was a big. Mitchell also got some help from his teammates in this one, unlike the previous game in Orlando.

nba, cavs, cleveland, cavaliers, darius, garland, donovan, mitchell
May 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates with guard Darius Garland (10) after Garland hit a three point basket during the second half against the Orlando Magic in game seven of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

4. Mitchell scores over half of Cleveland’s points in Game 6 loss to Orlando

CLE 96, ORL 103

May 3, 2024 - 50 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 22-36 FG, 3-9 3P

Donovan Mitchell put up an efficient 50-point game in the Cavs’ first chance to clinch a playoff series without LeBron James in 30-plus years. Unfortunately, there was not a whole lot from his teammates to help him out.

Once again, Mitchell was getting to the rim, and he never stopped attacking, even when getting knocked down to the ground. He put up 31 points in the second half, including all of Cleveland’s points in the fourth quarter (18)! To put that into perspective, Mitchell’s numbers in the fourth were 18 points on 7-13 shooting and 2-4 from three. The rest of the Cavs team had 0 points on 0-6 shooting with 5 turnovers and 8 fouls committed. Although Cleveland lost, this was one of the greatest individual playoff games in franchise history.

3. Donovan Mitchell leaves it all on the line in heartbreaking Game 2 defeat to Pacers

IND 120, CLE 119

May 6, 2026 - 48 PTS, 5 REB, 9 AST, 4 STL, 15-30 FG, 17-21 FT

Without the services of Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter, the Cavs somehow had to ask Donovan Mitchell to do even more against a high-powered Pacers team. Once again, Spida stepped up.

He went back to having that relentless mindset from the Orlando series, but up another level. Mitchell was muscling up wild and-one finishes, posterizing Pacers defenders and getting to the free throw line at an absolutely absurd rate. Unfortunately for the shorthanded Cavaliers, Mitchell ran out of gas near the end, and the Pacers completed their second of four wild fourth quarter comebacks of the 2025 playoffs, capped off by the game-winning stepback triple from Tyrese Haliburton.

2. Spida makes NBA playoff history against Pistons

DET 103, CLE 112

May 11, 2026 - 43 PTS, 5 REB, 13-26 FG, 4-12 3P, 13-15 FT

After a subpar first half where Mitchell only scored 4 points, he completely took over in the Cavs most important half of the season, up to that point. Donovan Mitchell tied an NBA playoff record for the most points scored in one half, with 39 points (21 in the third, 18 in the fourth).

Mitchell led the Cavs to scoring 21 straight points, the largest run in franchise history. Cleveland needed every single of these points in the second half to get themselves a series-tying Game 4 victory. This prevented the Cavs from going back to Detroit in a 3-1 hole.

1. Mitchell’s 71-point classic vs Chicago

CHI 134, CLE 145

Jan. 2, 2023 - 71 PTS, 8 REB, 11 AST, 22-34 FG, 7-15 3P, 20-25 FT

You knew this was coming.

At the time, Donovan Mitchell was only the seventh player in NBA history to record a 70+ point performance. Talk about needing every single point to win a game, this was the perfect example.

Cleveland was down by as many as 21 points to the Bulls at home. Mitchell didn’t get off to the hottest start, only scoring 16 points in the first half. But things began to click in the third quarter. Spida started getting to the free throw line and the paint a lot more, scoring 24 points in the period, on 12-12 free throw shooting. Then the fourth quarter, where Mitchell had 18 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists, getting Jarrett Allen involved down low. 

But even with his incredible efforts to bring the Cavs back, they were still down by two points in the final seconds with Mitchell at the free throw line.

He executed the nearly impossible feat of intentionally missing the free throw and running in the lane amongst the huge likes of Jarrett Allen, Kevin Love, Robin Lopez, Andre Drummond and Nikola Vucevic! He was somehow able to finish the wild putback layup to tie the game at 130 apiece. After DeMar DeRozan airballed a three-pointer at the other end, Mitchell had an extra five minutes to get his team over the edge.

In overtime, Mitchell continued his hot shooting, but this time from three. He scored 13 points, without missing a shot, to outscore Chicago in overtime. He was grinning ear to ear when he shot his final two free throws to his career-high of 71 points.

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Miles Irvin
MILES IRVIN

Miles Irvin is a sports media professional, with experience in play-by-play, broadcasting and digital storytelling. He is a senior at Ashland University, studying digital media production and journalism. Miles loves keeping up with all teams throughout the NBA, especially the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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