Donovan Mitchell's 71-point game against the Bulls is statistically the third-best regular season game in the history of the NBA.
When the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Donovan Mitchell, many doubted the organization's decision and didn't expect Mitchell to have a lot of success with the Cavs. But just a couple of months after his blockbuster trade to the team, Mitchell has created history.
In the Cavaliers' most recent game against the Chicago Bulls, Donovan Mitchell dropped 71 points in the win. The entire NBA world erupted after Mitchell's sensational game and hailed him for his dominant performance.
Over the last week or so, this second historical performance that the fans have witnessed. The previous one was obviously Luka Doncic's 60-point outburst against the New York Knicks. That performance was statistically a top-5 game in the history of the league, but Mitchell's 71-point performance has now pushed Doncic to the 6th spot on the list.
Donovan Mitchell Created History With His 71 Points Performance
There is an advanced stat called Game Score used to determine the overall performance of a player. The formula for it is as follows:
Game Score = Points Scored + (0.4 x Field Goals) – (0.7 x Field Goal Attempts) – (0.4 x (Free Throw Attempts – Free Throws)) + (0.7 x Offensive Rebounds) + (0.3 x Defensive Rebounds) + Steals + (0.7 x Assists) + (0.7 x Blocks) – (0.4 x Personal Fouls) – Turnovers
According to Basketball Reference, the current top 5 leaders as per Game Score are:
1. Michael Jordan - 64.60
2. Kobe Bryant - 63.50
3. Donovan Mitchell - 60.80
4. Karl Malone - 60.20
5. James Harden - 56.60
And Luka Doncic is in the 6th spot with a score of 56.30.
Following Mitchell's sensational game, many have started to think of the Cavaliers as genuinely one of the top contenders to win the 2023 NBA Championship. As of now, the Cavaliers have a record of 24-14 and are currently in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference table.
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