Donovan Mitchell matches Kobe Bryant’s Game 7 feat unseen for over 20 years
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images The Cleveland Cavaliers booked their place in the conference semifinals with a 125-94 road win over the Detroit Pistons last Sunday night. Cleveland will now face the New York Knicks after a Game 7 built on collective production, in which four Cavaliers players scored at least 20 points, while Detroit had no player reach that mark. Amid that collective backdrop, Donovan Mitchell still stood out.
He finished as the game’s top scorer and made playoff history. Donovan Mitchell records Game 7 feat last achieved by Kobe Bryant Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images According to StatMuse, Mitchell became the first player since Kobe Bryant in 2002 to record at least 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and zero turnovers in a Game 7. ‘Spida’ ended the game with 26 points, six rebounds, eight assists, one block and one steal.
The zero turnovers made the performance especially controlled. That efficiency mattered in a deciding playoff game. Cleveland needed scoring, but Mitchell also protected possessions and created for teammates without forcing mistakes.
The contrast with James Harden’s Game 7 struggles was clear. The seasoned guard finished with nine points, five rebounds and six assists, while shooting 0-for-six from three-point range. He also made only 20% of his field-goal attempts overall.
For Cleveland, beyond Mitchell’s cleaner display, the wider picture was also encouraging. The 29-year-old guard led the scoring, but the Cavaliers’ balanced attack gave them a strong platform before facing New York. Read more: Nikola Jokic misses MVP but joins Larry Bird and Bill Russell in impressive NBA mark Stephen A.