Donovan Mitchell and another example of an MVP starting the season: a big figure in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ win against the Los Angeles Lakers

After a tough season seeing it in Utah, Donovan Mitchell needed a change of scenery. And his arrival at Cleveland Cavaliers It seemed like a perfect fit for both of them: he was coming into a young Cavs and was completely upside, while Mitchell was exactly the kind of scorer Bickerstaff was missing to make a quality jump.

Nonetheless, no one could have imagined it Marriage it would have such powerful effects in just a few weeks: Cleveland 8-1 and Mitchell in MVP mode.

The former Jazz shined again this Sunday, at Cleveland’s win over the weak Lakers with 114-110. The shooting guard spent 37 minutes on the court and finished with 33 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 10-17 from the field.

His campaign numbers are amazing: 31.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists, plus 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 49% from the field. And to these we must add a perhaps even more important fact: a remarkable progress in defensive sideafter a couple of very weak recent seasons with the Jazz in that aspect.

Mitchell has today career highs in steals, blocks, rebounds, defensive rating and defensive box plus-minus. And the Cavs are the second best defense in the entire league.

That Mitchell could score was always known. But if he regains (or rather maintains) that defensive intensity he showed in his early years in the NBA, we’ll be talking about one of the most complete and decisive players in the leagueas these first weeks show.

Of course, Mitchell isn’t the only one responsible for this big time in Cleveland, with the second-best record in the competition. Darius garland He continues to develop by leaps and bounds and added 24 points and 7 assists against the Lakers. Jarrett Allen He did his thing: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. kevin love brought a double-double from the second unit (10 and 10 rebounds). The Cavaliers have talent, depth, defensemen, scorers… To think that this start might be a bit over the top in terms of win rate, but not unrealistic at all.

The Lakers, for their part, had theirs again Big 3 in a high level: 27 points for LeBron James, 19 and 12 for Anthony and 19 and 10 assists for Russell Westbrook, very settled in his role as the sixth man. The problem? That’s where the team’s virtues remain. Ham’s men continue without defending, without finding complementary players to contribute night after night and mostly paying dearly for their ineffectiveness from the perimeter (8 of 27 against the Cavaliers).