Donovan Mitchell and 4 other stars fighting for their first All-NBA Team

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Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images /

First All-NBA Team: Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell is lining up records and mowing them down this season, from franchise scoring records with the Cleveland Cavaliers to career 3-pointer benchmarks. Mitchell now has 1,004 career 3-pointers in just 355 games, the second-fastest pace in NBA history (Buddy Hield made it in 350). He’s fifth in the league with 46 3-pointers (in only 11 games) and is shooting 43.4 percent from deep.

Mitchell is positively breaking defenses from deep, then slashing inside to keep them honest and finish at the rim. He is scoring 31.6 points per game, fourth in the league and among a whopping eight players all putting up 30 or more points per game. That average would have led the league last season by a full point.

The Cavs are right at the top of the league in large part because of Mitchell’s sparkling play. He was the engine behind their 8-game win streak, mostly without Darius Garland, averaging a career-best 6.1 assists per game thus far. He’s been attacking the glass, locking in on defense and all-around been one of the very best players in the league.

The advanced stats support his case as well. He is eighth in the league in Estimated Plus-Minus, behind a host of players who have made at least two All-NBA teams before (and won seven of the last nine MVPs). He is fifth in Box Plus-Minus, fourth in RAPTOR and is putting up a scorching-hot 64.9 percent true-shooting percentage, which is fifth among All-Star candidates.

Status: Near Lock