Donovan Mitchell Leads Cavaliers to 118-106 Win Over Bucks After Giannis Exits—NBA Fans Erupt

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell is making an early MVP push that has the Cleveland Cavaliers dreaming big again. The All-Star guard poured in 37 points with seven assists and five rebounds to beat the Milwaukee Bucks last week, then followed it up with 21 points against Indiana, keeping his season averages at 30.9 ppg, 5.5 apg and 4.6 rpg on a sizzling 50.9 % shooting and 38.8 % from deep. “Best basketball I’ve ever played,” Mitchell said after downing Milwaukee, crediting teammates for “making it easy” while he attacks mismatches with ruthless efficiency. That efficiency now includes a career-high 1.5 steals per game, underscoring the two-way surge powering Cleveland’s 10-6 start. Why Mitchell’s hot streak matters • MVP chatter: Only two guards in the last decade have averaged 30+ points on 50 % shooting for a playoff team over a full season. Mitchell is on pace to join that club. • Historic Cavs numbers: His 30.9 ppg would smash the franchise single-season scoring record. • Playoff preparation: Mitchell welcomes a tougher schedule, noting last year’s top-seed Cavs “were never mentally tested.” He believes early adversity will “pay off in May and June.” Next on the calendar Cleveland hosts Houston on Wednesday before a marquee NBA Cup showdown with Boston. Mitchell’s usage should remain sky-high: the league fined the Cavs $100,000 for resting him and Evan Mobley in Miami, a reminder that the NBA’s new Player Participation Policy demands its stars stay on the floor. How he’s torching defenses 1. Early drag screens let him build downhill speed, forcing switches and opening step-back threes. 2. Relentless rim pressure (9.1 drives per game) collapses help, freeing shooters like Darius Garland. 3. Improved pick-and-roll chemistry with Jarrett Allen produces easy lobs when teams blitz the ball. What it means for Cleveland If Mitchell sustains even 90 % of this output, the Cavaliers own a legitimate Eastern Conference trump card: an elite closer who can trade haymakers with Giannis, Tatum or Embiid. Contract extension talks remain on the horizon, but on-court dominance is the best leverage Mitchell could display. Bottom line Search interest is spiking because Donovan Mitchell isn’t just hot—he’s rewriting Cavaliers history and altering the MVP race in real time. Expect more viral highlights, more scoreboard-stuffing lines and, if his words ring true, a postseason run that finally matches Cleveland’s talent.