Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 45 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Brooklyn Nets 111-102 in an NBA regular-season game on Thursday in Paris.
Four-time NBA All-Star guard Mitchell added six assists and four steals while making 15-of-30 shots from the field, 4-of-12 from 3-point range, and 11-of-13 free throws to ignite the Cavs’ fourth consecutive triumph.
Mitchell said he loved his Paris experience — and would like to repeat it at the Paris Olympics later this year.
“Definitely I’d love to come back and play in the Olympics,” Mitchell said. “This is a very electric basketball city. Just being able to see this experience, to be a part of it and do it with the NBA, do it with my teammates — incredible.
“I’ve had a lot of fun and I’m glad we got the win as well.”
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Mitchell’s aggressive approach “set the tone for everybody” on the team.
“I thought Donovan was phenomenal at giving the audience and us what they came to see and what we needed to win the game,” Bickerstaff said.
Cleveland improved to 22-15, level with Indiana and New York for fourth in the Eastern Conference, while the Nets slid to 16-22, 10th in the East, after their seventh loss in eight games.
“We had our fun in Paris the first couple days and then when it came down to business we locked in and got the job done,” Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen said.
“We didn’t know what to expect coming in but the fans surprised us and came out rocking.”
Caris LeVert added 21 points off the bench for Cleveland while Allen stretched his streak of double-doubles to eight games with 12 points and 12 rebounds while also contributing four blocked shots, four assists and two steals.
Mikal Bridges and reserve Cam Thomas each scored 26 points to lead the Nets, who trailed by as many as 26 points before a late run trimmed the final margin of their fourth consecutive loss in meetings with the Cavs.
Mitchell, who produced his fourth double-double of the season, passed off three assists in the first half to reach the milestone of 2,000 career assists.
“He’s unstoppable,” Allen said of Mitchell. “He leads the offense and defense. He’s talking. He does everything on the court. He just leads us.”
Mitchell scored 12 points in the first quarter to lift the Cavaliers to a 26-16 lead and by halftime, Mitchell had 17 points and Cleveland led 54-34.
Olympics loom
It was another weak start for the Nets, who shot 12-of-36 (33.3%) from the floor in the first half, going only 3-of-14 from 3-point range.
Brooklyn managed only a season-low in first half points as well as a first half season-high of 12 turnovers. Reserve Cam Thomas led the Nets in the first half with 11 points.
Celebrities sitting courtside for the special France contest included World Cup champions Kylian Mbappe of France and former Brazil forward Ronaldo as well as retired England star David Beckham and retired French NBA legend Tony Parker.
The game was the NBA’s third regular-season contest played in Paris with Milwaukee beating Charlotte 116-103 in 2020 and Chicago defeating Detroit 126-108 last year.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, speaking to reporters before the game, said the league was “very likely to be back next year.”
In the meantime, Silver said, he was looking forward to returning to Paris for the Olympic Games, where he expects NBA players to be a significant presence.
“We anticipate that there will be approximately — team rosters aren’t set yet, but at least based on past experience, 65 or 70 current and former NBA players who will be participating in the Olympic Games,” Silver said.
“I’ll be back,” he added. “We can’t wait.”
