Donovan Mitchell added his name to one of the NBA’s most rarefied lists Monday night. Mitchell set a Cleveland record with 71 points, most by an NBA player in 17 years, and the Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime Monday night. It was the most points in a game by any player since Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had 81 against Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006. Mitchell scored 13 points in the extra session after forcing OT by grabbing his own intentionally missed free throw and making a circus shot with 3.0 seconds left, tying the game at 130 and breaking the Cleveland record with 58 points. In OT, Mitchell became the seventh player in the 70-point club. Wilt Chamberlain did it six times, while Bryant, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson and the Phoenix Suns‘ Devin Booker each reached the figure once. Mitchell had a career-high-tying 11 assists and eight rebounds in 50 minutes, also setting career highs with 20 free throws made and 25 free throws attempted. He scored five points in the first quarter, 11 in the second, 24 in the third and 18 in the fourth. His 55 points after halftime tied Bryant for the most by any player over the past 25 seasons. Mitchell went 22-of-34 from the field and made 7 of 15 3-pointers in carrying the Cavaliers, who were without All-Star guard Darius Garland (right thumb sprain) and forward Evan Mobley (right ankle soreness) for the second straight game. He scored or assisted on 99 points, the second most in a game in NBA history and the most since Chamberlain’s 100-point game.
Mitchell scores franchise record 71 in Cavs OT win
