Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored a stunning 71 points Monday, matching the eighth-most ever scored in an NBA game. The Cavaliers overcame a 21-point deficit to defeat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime.
Mitchell scored the most points in a single game since legendary Lakers player Kobe Bryant scored 81 against Toronto in 2006.
Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points for Philadelphia in a single game against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.
Mitchell the seventh. scored 70 or more points in a game
Only seven players have ever scored 70 or more points in a game, making Mitchell the seventh.
He is the first Cavs player to score 60 points in a regular-season game, and he also had eight rebounds and 11 assists.
After the game, Mitchell said in an on-court interview, “First and foremost, my teammates,” to enthusiastic Cavs support.
Despite the fact that I scored 70, I wouldn’t be here without them. We wouldn’t be in this situation if guys didn’t make important plays, that’s the honest truth.”
In the second quarter and the third, the Bulls held a 21-point advantage.
However, the Cavs came back, and Mitchell forced overtime when he scored an unlikely layup with three seconds left after grabbing the rebound of his own intentionally missed free throw.
According to Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff, “We were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the NBA.”
Mitchell led a Cavs team that was without star guard Darius Garland and forward Evan Mobley, connecting on 22 of 34 field goals and hitting seven threes.
The Bulls, who never trailed during the regular season, were led by 44 points from DeMar DeRozan.
Mitchell scored 13 points in overtime, including the step-back three-pointer that gave the Cavaliers their first lead of the game and secured their victory.
Mitchell described his inclusion among some of the greatest players in the game as “humbling.” I not only did that, but I did it in an effort that resulted in our victory.”
Klay Thompson scored a season-high 54 points as the league’s defending champions, the Golden State Warriors, defeated the Atlanta Hawks 143-141 in double overtime in San Francisco.
The Warriors, who are still without star Stephen Curry because of an injury, have won five of their last six games at home, but they had to work hard to beat struggling Atlanta.
Kevon Looney tipped in at the second attempt on Thompson’s attempt after the Hawks’ Trae Young tied the game with eight seconds left in the second overtime period.
LeBron James, the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, kicked off the new year with 43 points in a 121-115 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Joel Embiid scored 42 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Philadelphia 76ers in their 120-111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, who were without their star forward Zion Williamson due to a hamstring strain.
In the Mavericks’ 111-106 victory over the Rockets in Houston, Dallas star Luka Doncic had 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists.
After celebrating his 38th birthday on Friday by scoring 47 points in the Lakers’ victory over the Atlanta Hawks, James had another great night in Charlotte.
The victory was effectively sealed with his five free throws in the final 24.4 seconds.
Before then he excited fans in Charlotte with a couple of back streets oop dunks — including a converse jam off a pass from Dennis Schroeder.
The NBA champion who has won four titles is now 484 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has 38,387 points as the all-time leading scorer.
Since Anthony Davis was out with a foot injury, James has had to carry a heavier load for the Lakers. Russell Westbrook left the game with a sensitive left foot in the main quarter.
Austin Reaves and Schroder each scored 15 points, and Thomas Bryant had 18 points and 15 rebounds to help the Lakers win their second straight game after losing their first three.
“We wanted this on the finish of an excursion,” said James, who was a proficient 16 of 26 from the field and got 11 bounce back. ” We are worn out right now, but we persevered throughout the entire game and won.”
The Sixers avenged their 11-point loss to the Pelicans in New Orleans on Friday in Philadelphia.
James Harden scored 27 points to help the 76ers extend their longest home-winning streak in league history to 10 games.
Embiid, who had been listed as questionable prior to the game due to soreness in his lower back, had a scare late on when he fell under the basket and had to carefully walk to the huddle.
In another game, the Brooklyn Nets defeated the San Antonio Spurs 139-103 to extend their winning streak to 12 games.
With a 124-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets, who lead the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves ended a six-game losing streak.