Utah Jazz: 3 takeaways from Game 6 vs. Thunder
By Mason McFee
3. Donovan Mitchell is a star
It may seem premature to anoint a rookie as a star (a label that is overused in my opinion, but I digress), but there’s no other word that perfectly encapsulates Mitchell’s game.
Mitchell has an unreal ability to take defenders off the dribble and seemingly teleport to the rim to finish a contested layup.
Mitchell may not be an elite 3-point shooter (34.0 percent from 3 for his career, 30.6 percent prior to Game 6), but he isn’t afraid to take them. Don’t respect the shot? He’ll make you pay:
https://twitter.com/utahjazz/status/990080266164097024
The Game 6 win was quite literally because of Mitchell — his 22 points in the third quarter accounted for nearly 60 percent percent of Utah’s total points for the third quarter. His final tally of 38 points accounted for 40 percent of the Jazz’s 96. Reminder: He’s a rookie.
Mitchell’s nickname is Spida, but he’s earned the upgrade to Spider-man. For the rest of the league, it’s no secret who he is. He’s putting the league on notice, the fact that he’s a rookie is as close to a secret identity he’s going to get.