SALT LAKE CITY — Donovan Mitchell is off to the best start of his professional career. Through three games he was shooting 58.7% from the field, 50% from 3-point range, while averaging 23.7 points per game.
Compare that to his first season when he started off 5 for 25 and 0 for 7 from 3-point range and last year when he was 21 of 61 and 8 of 29 from deep after three games.
But the shots weren’t falling for Mitchell on Monday night in Phoenix. His foul shots were going long — he missed four of eight on the night — and his outside shooting was off, as those shots that had been going in the first three games, weren’t finding the mark.
Mitchell didn’t get down and kept on playing and he got better in the second half after making just 2 of his 9 shots in the first half. In the third quarter, he made 5 of 9 shots, but then struggled in the fourth quarter after coming in at the 9:22 mark. He missed four shots, while making two, but had a couple of turnovers, including a big one with 30 seconds left in a tie game when he made a poor pass.
However with the game on the line in the final seconds, coach Quin Snyder didn’t hesitate on whose number to call.
“That’s something we work on,” Snyder said. “The ball is in (Mitchell’s) hands and we trust him to make a play in space and he did.”
Mitchell took the ball near midcourt and drove down the left side past Jevon Carter and was met at the hoop by Devin Booker, who fouled him as he shot it.
With 0.4 seconds left, Mitchell sank the game-winning free throw.
Snyder pointed out that Mitchell has been in similar situations before, such as in the playoffs against Oklahoma City when “he went downhill and got fouled.”
A couple of times in the past, Mitchell has settled for outside shots when he’s had the ball at the end, but that wasn’t his mindset Monday.
“I wanted to just go to the rim,” he said. “Carter had been aggressive the whole night so I just wanted to go by him and try to finish.”
Snyder said Mitchell is the player they “trust” in situations with the game on the line.
“He’s been in those situations and will continue to be in them,” Snyder said. “For him to be able to get to the foul line or whatever he can do to generate a bucket, he’s capable and he did it tonight.”
Before the game Mitchell talked about why he thought he’s off to such a good start this season.
“Just being in control, that’s the biggest thing,” he said. “Focusing on the defensive end and letting things come to you on offense.”
Mitchell acknowledged he’s being more patient on offense, as is shown by his shot attempts — 88 after four games last year compared to 70 this year. But he’s more efficient and his percentage is way up.
He also gave credit to the new players on the team, such as Bojan Bogdanovic, who take some of the offensive pressure off him.
“It’s easier when you have guys that can create off the ball, like Bojan going for 26. I didn’t really have that my first two years, but it makes my job on the offensive end easier,” Mitchell said. “On top of that, guys are locked in on the defensive end and that’s really where I’ve been focused, picking up my defense and everything will take care of itself.”
JAZZ NOTES: The Jazz are back home to take on the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday night. Like the Jazz, the Clippers are 3-1 and coming off a home win over Charlotte on Monday night after losing in Phoenix to the Suns on Saturday. ... Kawhi Leonard, who led Toronto to the NBA title last year before signing with the Clippers, leads the team in scoring at 27.0 ppg and assists at 7.5 apg. Reserve Montrezl Harrell leads the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and is third in scoring at 20.0 ppg. ... Other expected starters for the Clippers are guard Landry Shamet (10.3 ppg), center Ivica Zubac (9.5 ppg) at center, forward Patrick Patterson (9.0 ppg) at power forward and guard Patrick Beverly (5.8 ppg). Two-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner Lou Williams (22.3 ppg) comes off the bench as usual. ... Paul George, the other big offseason acquisition for the Clippers along with Leonard, is out of the lineup until next month after offseason shoulder surgery. ... The Jazz will play the Clippers on Sunday in Los Angeles after playing at Sacramento on Friday night.
from Deseret News https://ift.tt/2Puidal
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario