Earlier in his career, Donovan Mitchell earned a reputation for being a playoff riser. He even had some of the highest-scoring games of his career in the bubble in Orlando, and he looked like the type of guy who thrived when the lights were the brightest.
The years have passed, and while he's been mostly good in the postseason, he still hasn't gotten past the second round. Of course, this is a team sport, and he's done his part for the most part, but he's also gone radio silent way too many times.
Notably, that was the case again in Game 3's loss to the Toronto Raptors. Following two consecutive 30+ point explosions, Mitchell dropped 15 points on 16 shots, going 1-7 from beyond the arc. Inevitably, that type of inconsistency leaves people wondering whether he can be a true 1A on a contender.
Can Donovan Mitchell lead the Cavaliers to the mountaintop?
For years, the Cavs have revolved around Mitchell as the primary gunsman. Even with James Harden by his side, he still gets the bulk of the shots and the touches. That's not necessarily wrong, given that he's the team's best three-level scorer.
Nevertheless, we've seen this happen way too many times in NBA history. Outside of Isiah Thomas and Stephen Curry, there aren't any other undersized, ball-dominant guards who have led their teams to championships.
Mitchell is obviously a gifted scorer, a strong leader, a willing passer, and someone who, despite not being a good defender at all, often tries to get stops. This is not criticism, but a question: do the Cavs believe they can win a ring when history has proven that this formula rarely leads to success?
The former Utah Jazz guard could probably be an elite Robin instead of a mid-tier Batman; there should be no shame in being one of the best 20 players in the best basketball league in the world. The NBA doesn't seem to consider him a superstar, and while playing for small markets might have plenty to do with that, he hasn't necessarily proven them wrong yet.
Mitchell can go nuclear again and drop 30 in five consecutive games to make this take look foolish. Hopefully, that will be the case. Still, with the front office laying the groundwork for a big-time contract extension and essentially giving him the keys to the franchise with the James Harden trade, these are some uncomfortable conversations to have about the guy who might be the face of the team for the foreseeable future.
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