Donovan Mitchell's jaw-dropping 71-point performance against the Chicago Bulls catapulted the Cleveland Cavaliers into NBA elite territory. Outscoring Kobe Bryant's 2006 record of 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, Mitchell notched the franchise's highest single-game score and joined an exclusive club of seven NBA players who've surpassed the 70-point mark.
Mitchell's heroics culminated in a 145-134 victory. The night's highlight? Toppling Wilt Chamberlain's standing in the record books. "It's honestly humbling to stand shoulder to shoulder with a legend like Wilt," Mitchell shared with ESPN, expressing awe at the influence Cherry had on basketball history.
With his teammates drenching him post-game and J.B. Bickerstaff extolling Mitchell's "once-in-a-lifetime," game-changing performance, it's no surprise the Cavs' newfound superstar eclipsed LeBron James' record of 57 points, a mark James shares with Kyrie Irving.
That Monday, James set NBA records, bagging 43 points in the Lakers' 121-115 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Making history yet again, James became the second to post 40+ points in consecutive games at age 36 or older, only after Michael Jordan.
Note:
Joining an exclusive NBA club of scorers, Donovan Mitchell, at 26 years old, clocked 71 points in a game. The five players in the club are:
- Elgin Baylor
- Kobe Bryant
- Devin Booker
- Donovan Mitchell
- Joel Embiid
- Luka Dončić
Meanwhile, Wilt Chamberlain still holds the NBA's record of 100 points as of 3/2/1962.
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