Donovan Mitchell He became the seventh player to score 70 or more points with his outburst of 71 on Jan. 2. However, he did not reach the record for overseas, still in the possession of the deceased Kobe Bryant who approved him 81 points against the Raptors in January 2006.
Chuck Swirski was on the field for both games. First as a television announcer for the Raptors and most recently as a radio announcer for the Bulls.
Swirsky, being the consummate professional, tried not to get carried away by the historical significance of either moment in recounting both duels.
“I have a responsibility as a storyteller to bring the integrity of the game to the listener. That’s my number one goal. Telling what I see in front of me. Second, making sure it’s not clouded in favor of one team or player is objective.”, Swirsky told The Sporting News.
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“But in the case of Kobe and Donovan Mitchell, history was made. You couldn’t avoid it.” continuous. “Everybody in Staples or Cleveland knew both guys were going to get the ball. The Raptors and the Bulls knew they were both going to get the ball. The fact that they were able to get something out of that frame, whether it was making a double-double or whatever, it made the moment that much more amazing. It seemed like the entire defense team was trying to get after them and they couldn’t contain both stars.”
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Swirsky saw some similarities and differences between the two shows. Both athletes willthey threw the whole team on his back” and they refused to lose, but they did so with different attitudes.
“Kobe had that grimace, that ferocious facial expression. Donovan has a different personality. He has a lighter approach to the game, whereas Kobe was completely immersed in every game. But one thing they both have common is the ability to play in a great stadium. And the other is that they both won. When Devin Booker scored 70 [en 2017]the Suns lost. You have to win. At the end of the day, you have to win.”
Swirsky was working the broadcast for the losing team on both occasions. While the NBA world was ecstatic about these performances, it was emotional even for the team on the wrong side of history.
“You could see the frustration on the Raptors’ side because their coach, Sam Mitchell, tested all of their players. Chris Bosh, Mo Peterson, Jaylen Rose, Matt Bonner, Mike James, Jose Manuel Calderon…”
“On the next plane ride, it was a back-to-back against the Nuggets, You may have heard a pin drop in Denver. Although they had respect for Kobe, nobody wants to score 81 points. The Bulls were also down because they blew a big lead and lost. But if you ask any NBA player, they have a lot of respect for each other. This is a brotherhood where one admires each other’s skill set.”
Swirsky wasn’t the only person who was at both games. Cavs assistant Luke Walton, played alongside Bryant with the Lakers. Y calderonwho couldn’t do much to stop Kobe, now also works for Cleveland, albeit from the front office.
“Ironically, we were talking about Kobe’s 81 [antes del partido]”Swirsky said. “Here we are, three hours later, because Jose is now working for the Cavs, and we’re back at 71 together.”
Swirsky wasn’t sure if anyone was telling Mitchell in real time how many points he had. But Bryant didn’t seem to care.
“I don’t think Kobe realized how many points he had until almost the end of the game. His facial expression… He wasn’t bashing the team or celebrating. I was very focused.”
Swirsky also recalled Kobe’s performance as a more Herculean effort. Donovan Mitchell had Jarrett Allen helping him with 21 points. Kobe’s second and third scorers were Smush Parker with 13 and Chris Mihm with 12.
“It wasn’t a star-studded team” Swirsky remembered the Lakers team.
Journalist he didn’t have a chance to reflect about how truly special Mitchell’s performance was, because he was concentrating on what was happening in front of him. That will come later, since now you have more time to think about it.
“I never think [el impacto histórico] when I run a party. However, you can’t help but get caught up in the moment. That’s why every anniversary of Kobe’s 81 points I sit and watch the game. I admire how an athlete single-handedly put his team on his shoulders.”
“To this day, it’s without a doubt the best individual performance I’ve ever seen by a living athlete. And I’ve seen a lot of things that are good, but never anything like 81. Mitchell’s 71 will also go down in history.”
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
