![]() Mitchell turned and found him, and Ingles hit the huge shot. Mitchell's strong push up the court drew Boston defenders and freed up Ingles for a wide-open trailing three. It was something he has even called himself out for doing, stating the Jazz needed to run for the team to be at its best that's the case in the first minute of the game and in the last. ![]() With the Jazz's early 13-point lead cut to just four with 3:10 remaining, Mitchell put on a masterclass - and it all started with a strong push off a rebound.įor much of his career, Mitchell has often slowed down the pace when things got tight at the end. "In the last five minutes there was no question: We're just going to give it to him and let him create," said Ingles, who had 24 points and six assists. His 14-point third quarter was spectacular and helped Utah build a double-digit lead, but it didn't touch his closing stretch. ![]() The Celtics were without Marcus Smart and without the bulldog defender, Mitchell was able to get to wherever he wanted to either score, get fouled or set up a teammate. Mitchell came out after a hard-fought first half and seemed to realize no one could guard him. But this year I feel like he's been, especially the last four weeks, at his best." "I think he's improved every single year. "I think he's really able to understand the tempo of the game and be able to find his teammates," said Rudy Gobert, who continued his dominant defensive run on Tuesday. He finished with 36 points and nine assists as he pushed the Jazz to their fifth straight win. Mitchell is simply a bonafide star -and he's been that all season Tuesday was just the latest chapter. Since then, he's averaged 23.5 points, 5.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds while shooting 44% from three. That couldn't be further from the truth.īefore that awkward interview, Mitchell was averaging 24.3 points, 4.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 41% from three. Utah matched its best start in franchise history by improving to 20-5, and have won 16 of its last 17 games.īut don't get caught up in the potential narrative that O'Neal somehow motivated Mitchell when he told him point-blank that he didn't have what it takes to get to the next level immediately following a Jazz victory last month. O'Neal can take all the faux victory laps he wants, Mitchell will just keep leading the Jazz to wins. Mitchell scored or assisted on seven of Utah's final eight possessions as the Jazz used a 14-4 stretch to closeout the win. So, yes, O'Neal will likely take credit for how Mitchell raced down the court to set up a big Joe Ingles' 3-pointer, and how Mitchell hit a pull-up three from 30 feet out, and how he dropped as he stepped back for a three - and we could go on. ![]() My whole career I've been a leader and I motivate my players a certain way. ![]() Heck, he'd already done it moments before.ĭuring TNT's halftime report of Utah's 122-108 win over Boston, O'Neal, in reference to his awkward-timed comments about Donovan Mitchell weeks before, said: "I never hate, I just try to give constructive criticism. SALT LAKE CITY - In a studio in Atlanta, Shaquille O'Neal was likely patting his own back. Reading or replaying the story in itsĪrchived form does not constitute a republication of the story. Only for your personal, non-commercial use. ![]()
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