Donovan Mitchell is playing like a star and he’s doing it at the perfect time for Utah Jazz

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, center, gestures after scoring during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles. The Jazz won 120-107. | Mark J. Terrill, AP

Donovan Mitchell looked like a star on Saturday night.

In the Jazz’s 120-107 win over the Clippers in Los Angeles Mitchell was deliberate and efficient. He shot 56.5% from the field en route to a 30-point performance including hitting 4-of-9 from deep. He dished out nine assists, grabbed seven rebounds, and looked like he was in complete control of the game.

When the Jazz needed a bucket he got one. When the Jazz needed a stop he managed the defense. Then, when he felt the momentum shifting, he reached in his bag and brought out a dagger that stopped the Clippers in their tracks.

Mitchell has been playing like this more and more lately and the timing couldn’t be more perfect for the Jazz, or for Mitchell himself.

“His awareness of his teammates coupled with his ability to attack, he’s finding a new balance.” — Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder, on Donovan Mitchell

From a team standpoint, showing progress has allowed Mitchell and the rest of the Jazz roster to work at an improved tempo and Mitchell said the reason is the institutional knowledge that is starting to sink in for everyone.

“Understanding the plays, understanding where the looks are going to come from in our plays, what’s going to be open, where guys are going to be,” he said after Saturday’s game. “Having the knowledge of that allows you to go at a different pace.”

From an individual standpoint, NBA All-Star voting officially opened up on Saturday, and there will be more room on the 2020 Western Conference All-Star roster than there has been in recent years.

With Kevin Durant in the Eastern Conference and injuries plaguing the Warriors dynamic backcourt this could be the year that Mitchell breaks into the All-Star ranks. Kawhi Leonard will almost certainly be on the Western ballot this season but there is still room for Mitchell to earn his spot.

Though the first couple of months of the season obviously are taken into account, once voting is open a keener eye is trained on the potential All-Star pool. Wading in that pool’s waters, with the eyes of the league on him is Mitchell.

“His awareness of his teammates coupled with his ability to attack, he’s finding a new balance,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said of Mitchell on Saturday.

That balance is even more impressive considering the injuries that the Jazz have been dealing with between Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley, and that is not something that is noticed only within the fanbase.

When a player takes on more responsibility and the weight of a team is more squarely placed on his back, players and coaches across the league take notice. His leadership role and ownership of that role has made Mitchell’s progression appreciated across the NBA.

“The stuff he’s doing I can learn from,” new teammate Jordan Clarkson said. “I’m watching him and picking some stuff up.”

All-Star voting is open through Jan. 21. The Jazz have 11 more games between now and then starting with the Detroit Pistons on Monday at Vivint Smart Home Arena, followed by a road game Thursday in Chicago, where the 2020 NBA All-Star game will be played Feb. 17.

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