20 Second Timeout

Donovan Mitchell Joins the Elite 70 Point Game Club

Last night, Donovan Mitchell scored 71 points as his Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime. Mitchell shot 22-34 from the field, including 7-15 from three point range, and he shot 20-25 from the free throw line. He also had 11 assists, becoming the first player to post double digit assists in a 70 point game. Mitchell scored 13 of Cleveland's 15 overtime points. Gilbert Arenas holds the regular season overtime period scoring record (16 points), while Stephen Curry holds the playoff overtime period scoring record (17 points).

Mitchell's career-high and franchise best performance is just the second 70 point game that required at least one overtime period; on December 6, 1961, Chamberlain scored 78 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 151-147 triple overtime loss to the L.A. Lakers. The only players who scored more than 78 points in an NBA game are Chamberlain--whose record 100 point game will probably never be matched--and Kobe Bryant, who scored 81 points as his L.A. Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006.

Mitchell is just the seventh player in pro basketball history to score at least 70 points in a game. Chamberlain, who had six 70 point games, is the only player with multiple 70 point games. Elgin Baylor scored a then-record 71 points on November 15, 1960 as his L.A. Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 123-108. Chamberlain's 78 point game broke Baylor's record, and then a few months later Chamberlain had his legendary 100 point game. 

The third player to have a 70 point game is David Thompson, who scored 73 points in the final game of the 1977-78 season but still lost the closest scoring title race ever after George Gervin answered with a 63 point outburst. The next 70 point game took place 16 years later, when David Robinson poured in 71 points to win the scoring title over Shaquille O'Neal. Bryant joined the 70 Point Club 12 years later, and then 11 years passed before Devin Booker scored 70 points in a 10 point loss after his Phoenix Suns repeatedly committed fouls at the end of the game so that Booker could get more shot attempts.

Mitchell's performance was sensational, and much more legitimate than Booker's not just because Mitchell's team won but also because Mitchell's scoring was essential for the win. That being said, Booker and Mitchell are without question the least accomplished members of the 70 Point Club, as Baylor, Chamberlain, and Bryant are Pantheon members while Robinson is one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players and Thompson is a Hall of Famer who was an MVP caliber player in the mid to late 1970s before drug abuse derailed his career. 

Not counting Chamberlain--whose name dominates the NBA record book--the NBA has seen less than one 70 point game per decade, so even in this era when it is easier to score than ever it may take 10 years before anyone matches what Mitchell did last night.

Labels: David Robinson, David Thompson, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain

posted by David Friedman @ 10:26 PM

4 comments