Cavaliers superstar gets brutally honest after years of "outrageous" officiating

The Cleveland Cavaliers are chasing, and making, history this season. With a 9-0 start, this Cavs squad has high hopes and expectations.

Led by superstar Donovan Mitchell, this Cleveland squad is unafraid both on and off the court. Mitchell himself rarely shies away from making a statement, pushing back against dirty fouls without concern for a technical foul or punishment. Mitchell has had on-court altercations with Dillon Brooks and Draymond Green and has loudly made his voice heard in the following press conferences. This type of leadership gives his teammates confidence and trust that he has their backs, and he is proving it again this season in a new way.

After Cleveland's 131-122 win over the New Orleans Pelicans to set a franchise record for a season-opening win streak, Mitchell sounded off on inconsistent officiating against the Cavaliers according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

"We’re second in the league in drives per game and we’re not getting any foul calls. I’ve been quiet about it for a long time. Tonight, I almost lost my mind out there. [Darius Garland] had no free throws. I had six - four late in the game. [Jarrett Allen] had two. [Evan Mobley] had [three]. For us to be the team that we are, to drive and not get foul calls, it’s crazy."

- Donovan Mitchell

Even with a perfect start to the season, Mitchell wants more. While some could easily dismiss his frustrations given Cleveland's record, his claims are not without merit and show a yearly trend this core has faced in the league.

Numbers don't lie, and the Cavaliers are not alone

Donovan Mitchell was not wrong. In nine games, the Cavaliers are averaging 55.9 drives per game, the third-highest average in the league. This has only converted into 5.9 free throws attempted per night as a team off drives and 20.6 free throws overall per game.

Two seasons ago, the Cavaliers averaged the 11th most drives per game (48.1) but averaged in the bottom-10 for free throws per game. With two undersized guards in the starting backcourt, Cleveland has faced a physical disadvantage getting to the line.

The top team in drives per game, the Oklahoma City Thunder, face a similar problem. With 61.6 drives per night, OKC averages the 14th-most free throws. Both Cleveland and OKC lead their respective conferences currently; yet, they are hardly getting whistles in their favor.

In five of Cleveland's nine games this year, they have had fewer free throw attempts than their opponents. While at times the Cavs are close in attempts, they have had surprisingly lopsided outliers. Against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cavaliers had eight attempts against the Lakers' 33 free throws. In their win over the Pels, the Cavs lost the free throw battle 13-28.

Mitchell's comments underline a frustrating trend across the NBA. Officiating is not consistent, and the league has not offered a clear solution. The conversation is almost entirely silent from the NBA. Mitchell was not inappropriate in his language, either, saying simply "The refereeing has been so inconsistent, especially against us. There needs to be consistency." There are plenty of franchises that want the same treament, but the numbers say it is rare to see.

The Cavaliers are still enjoying a fantastic start to the season, but Mitchell's anger is justified. Missed calls lead to injuries. Two seasons ago, Darius Garland was sidelined with a serious eye injury that almost required surgery after an obvious foul by Gary Trent, Jr.. The result by the officials? A no-call. Calling that foul would not have magically healed Garland, but the referees' lack of consistency throughout the night allowed tough defense turn into dangerous defense.

Against the Pelicans, Evan Mobley rolled his ankle on a no-call contact on his way to an alley oop catch. Mitchell pointed this moment out directly in his conference, emphasizing the need to protect athletes through consistent, good officiating. Mitchell is far from the only player or coach to welcome a fine to criticize officiating, but the problems persist.

For now, the Cleveland Cavaliers are still winning despite the discrepancy. Donovan Mitchell is showing a vocal leadership and a concern for the wellbeing of his teammates. While the Cavs are not the only squad facing inconsistent officiating, taking a risk for a potential fine seems to be worth it for the All-Star guard.