Donovan Mitchell overtakes Kyrie Irving’s Cavs mark but LeBron James stays untouchable

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Donovan Mitchell overtakes Kyrie Irving’s Cavs mark but LeBron James stays untouchable

Originally posted on HITC | By Filipe Guedes | Last updated May 12, 2026 2:44 PM ET

Donovan Mitchell gave the Cleveland Cavaliers exactly what they needed on Monday night, turning Game 4 against the Detroit Pistons into his own statement.

The Cavaliers trailed 56-52 at halftime, but ‘Spida’ returned from the break with a scoring burst that changed the entire direction of the night.

Cleveland won 112-103, tying the series at 2-2 and making Mitchell’s response the defining story of the game.

He finished with 43 points, five rebounds and two assists, delivering a performance that mixed urgency, shot-making and franchise history.

Donovan Mitchell passes Kyrie Irving but still has LeBron James gap

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Mitchell’s 43-point display was his fourth 40-point playoff game as a Cavaliers player, according to NBA official stats.

That moved him past Kyrie Irving, who had three such games during his six seasons with Cleveland. The No. 45 is now in his sixth Cavaliers season too, which makes the comparison even sharper.

Still, the gap to LeBron James remains enormous. ‘King James’ recorded 24 playoff games with 40 or more points for the Cavaliers.

That number shows the difference between passing Irving and chasing the greatest player in franchise history.

Donovan Mitchell's 39 points in the second half are tied for the most points in ANY playoff half in NBA history, alongside Sleepy Floyd in 1987 ️ https://t.co/DwrWfulS0k
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) May 12, 2026

Even so, Monday added another major line to Mitchell’s Cleveland résumé. His second half was not just impressive, it was historically rare.

According to ESPN, Mitchell’s 39 points after halftime tied Sleepy Floyd’s 1987 mark for the most points in any half of an NBA playoff game.

That matters because Cleveland needed every bit of it. Mitchell had only four points at halftime, then delivered one of the most explosive playoff halves ever.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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