Donovan Mitchell scores 71 points in Cavaliers OT win over Bulls

Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored an NBA season-high and franchise-record 71 points -- equaling the eighth-most in a game in history -- as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime on Monday night.

It was the highest-scoring game since Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had 81 points against Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006. Wilt Chamberlain owns the NBA record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962, at Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Mitchell scored 13 points in the extra session after forcing OT by grabbing his own intentionally missed free throw and making a circus-shot with 3.0 seconds left, tying the game at 130-all and breaking the Cavaliers record with 58 points.

“I’ve never been witness to a performance like that live.” said Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “We were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the NBA.”

In OT, Mitchell become the 12th player to score 70. The former Utah Jazz standout also had a career-high tying 11 assists and eight rebounds in 50 minutes, also setting career highs with 20 free throws made and 25 free throws attempted.

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Mitchell went 22 of 34 from the field and made 7 of 15 3-pointers in carrying the Cavaliers, who were without All-Star guard Darius Garland (right thumb sprain) and forward Evan Mobley (right ankle soreness) for the second straight game.

“Every single play that he made was a play that was necessary,” Bickerstaff said.

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DeMar DeRozan scored 44 points, Zach LeVine had 26 points and Nikola Vucevic added 20 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago, which did not trail in regulation.

Mitchell put Cleveland ahead for the first time -- the only lead change of the game – by burying a 3-pointer to open OT. The previous Cavaliers record of 57 points was shared by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

The Central Division foes met for the second time in three days. Cleveland was the 103-102 winner at United Center on Dec. 31.

SPIDA TIME

Mitchell entered the new year in an offensive funk, averaging 17.5 points over the previous four games while shooting 32.9% on 73 field goal attempts. He now ranks ninth in the NBA with a 28.0 scoring average. “A lot of teams are sending a lot more bodies at him, and that’s on us to help him,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s on his teammates to recognize they have to make teams pay and make plays.”

TIP-INS

Bulls: G Javonte Green (right knee soreness) was unavailable after appearing in the previous three games. Green has missed nine total games with the injury and will undergo a thorough examination Tuesday in Chicago. “He was making some headway, then it flared up again,” coach Billy Donovan said. … G Lonzo Ball (left knee surgery), who last played on Jan. 14, is lightly jogging and doing limited on-court work.

Cavaliers: Cleveland posted winning records in each of the first three months of the season for the first time since 2016-2017. The latter wrapped up a run of 16 straight winning months with All-Stars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. … G Ricky Rubio (left knee rehabilitation), F Dean Wade (left shoulder sprain) and G Dylan Windler (right ankle sprain) remain out. Rubio could return to action within two weeks.

UP NEXT

Bulls: Visit Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

Cavaliers: Host Phoenix on Wednesday night.

Mitchell's masterpiece: Cavs star scores 71 points in win

AP

A towel strewn over his shoulders, still in his uniform after the game, Donovan Mitchell wearily took a seat and looked at the boxscore that had been placed in front of him.

Someone standing nearby asked if he needed anything, and Mitchell politely declined.

“I’m good,” Mitchell said. “I’m as good as can be.”

As good as he’s ever been in an NBA game, for sure. Better, even. Better than most anyone in any game ever, actually.

In a season where big numbers have become the norm, Mitchell put up the biggest numbers of all Monday night — matching the second highest-scoring game the NBA has seen in nearly 45 years. He finished with 71 points, tying for eighth-most in league history, to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime.

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The only other players to score at least 71 in a game: Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, David Thompson, David Robinson and Elgin Baylor.

“This is nuts, to be honest,” said Mitchell, who had 55 of his points after halftime. “I’m extremely blessed and humbled that I’m in that company, in that group. I’ve always believed I can be one of the best players in this league, but I’ve got to keep working. This is a big milestone, but at the end of the day, those guys have all won at the highest level. That’s my ultimate goal.”

The most recent game of more than 71 points was Bryant’s 81-point masterpiece for the Los Angeles Lakers against Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006. Before that, it was 73 points by David Thompson for Denver against Detroit on April 9, 1978.

“To be there in the record books with them is truly incredible,” Mitchell said.

His was the 12th game of 50 or more points in the NBA so far this season; later Monday, Golden State’s Klay Thompson scored 54 in the Warriors’ double-overtime win over Atlanta — becoming the 13th 50-point game of the season.

Video game numbers are coming nightly now. Before Dec. 23, there had only been four days in NBA history where five players scored at least 40 points on the same day.

Consider: that's four days in 76 years.

It's happened three times in less than two weeks since.

On Dec. 23, five players — Dallas' Luka Doncic, Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, New York’s RJ Barrett and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton — did it. A week later, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Chicago’s Zach LaVine, New Orleans’ CJ McCollum and Golden State’s Jordan Poole combined to do it again.

And then Monday, led by Mitchell and Thompson, it happened yet again — with James, Embiid and Chicago's DeMar DeRozan also scoring at least 40.

“I'll say again: Humbled to be in that company, humbled to be in this position," Mitchell said.

There have been 87 games of at least 40 or more points already this season, by a combined 33 players. Doncic has eight such games of 40 or more, Embiid and Antetokounmpo each have seven, Boston’s Jayson Tatum has six. There were 119 games of 40 or more in the entirety of the 2021-22 regular season; this season isn't even half over yet and players are already closing in on that total.

Doncic’s 60-point game, which he had on Dec. 27, was the NBA’s season high. It didn’t even last a week, not with Mitchell’s gem on Monday.

Mitchell missed his first shot. And his second. And his third. It took him nearly the entire first quarter to get a field goal attempt to finally fall.

“Just keep plugging away,” Mitchell said.

That’s an understatement.

He had five points in the first quarter, 11 more in the second quarter. Cleveland was getting run out of its building, having trailed by as many as 21 and going into halftime down 65-47.

And then, Mitchell was unstoppable — 24 points in the third, 18 more in the fourth, capped by him intentionally missing a free throw with 4.4 seconds left with the Cavs down by two, getting the rebound and scoring to tie the game and force overtime.

Then came the finish with a flourish: He didn’t miss a shot in the extra session, 4 for 4 from the field, 3 for 3 on 3-pointers, 2 for 2 from the foul line. He outscored the Bulls 13-4 by himself.

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had the Cavaliers’ single-game record of 57 points — which, coincidentally, was Mitchell's career-high before Monday, done while he played for the Utah Jazz in a playoff game at the NBA restart bubble in Florida in 2020. His regular-season career best, before Monday, was 46.

The Cavs' record belongs to Mitchell now, and probably will for a long time.

“In my 15 years, that’s the best performance I’ve ever seen, ever been a part of,” Cavaliers forward Kevin Love said. “I’ve seen some special ones.”

___

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Mitchell scores 71 points, Cavs beat Bulls 145-134 in OT

AP

CLEVELAND (AP) — Already an All-Star, Donovan Mitchell added his name to one of the NBA’s most rarefied lists Monday night.

Mitchell set a Cleveland record with 71 points, most by any player in 17 years, and the Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime.

Mitchell’s total matched the eighth-highest in league history and marked the most points by an NBA player since Lakers great Kobe Bryant scored 81 against Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006. Wilt Chamberlain owns the NBA record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962, at Hershey, Pennsylvania.

“To be there in the record book with guys like Wilt is truly humbling,” said Mitchell, acquired from Utah in the offseason. “I always believed I could be one of the best players in the league. I’m speechless and blessed to be in the company of that greatness.”

As the final seconds of OT ticked off the clock, Mitchell waved his arm for the Cleveland crowd, which has embraced him in his short time with the Cavs, to make more noise and then soaked in their applause.

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Seconds later, Mitchell was doused with water by his teammates and forward Cedi Osman grabbed a microphone on the floor to lead an “M-V-P, M-V-P,” chant.

Mitchell scored 13 points in the extra session after forcing OT by grabbing his own intentionally missed free throw and making a circus shot with three seconds left in regulation, tying the game at 130 and breaking the Cleveland record with 58 points.

In OT, Mitchell became the seventh player in the 70-point club. Chamberlain did it six times, while Bryant, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson and Devin Booker reached the figure once apiece.

“We were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the game,” Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Every single play that he made was a play that was necessary.

“Donovan has never put himself above the team, so how can you not root for a guy like that? I told everyone else to get out of the way.”

Mitchell also had a career high-tying 11 assists and eight rebounds in 50 minutes. He set career bests with 20 free throws made and 25 attempted. He scored five points in the first quarter, 11 in the second, 24 in the third and 18 in the fourth.

“I think I had a game like that once playing NBA2K, but I don’t think I shot that efficiently,” Mitchell joked of his video-game skills. “But that was in a loss, so this feels that much better.”

Mitchell went 22 of 34 from the field and made 7 of 15 3-pointers in carrying the Cavaliers, who were without All-Star guard Darius Garland (right thumb sprain) and forward Evan Mobley (right ankle soreness) for the second straight game.

DeMar DeRozan scored 44 points, Zach LeVine had 26 points and Nikola Vucevic added 20 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago, which did not trail in regulation.

During his postgame news conference, Mitchell was almost in disbelief when it was mentioned he joined the list of NBA legends to surpass 70 points.

“It’s humbling,” he said. “I’m speechless. For me, not only did I do that, but I did it an effort when we came back and won and it’s how we won. It’s nuts."

TIP-INS

Bulls: G Javonte Green (right knee soreness) was unavailable after appearing in the previous three games. Green has missed nine total games with the injury and will undergo a thorough examination Tuesday in Chicago. “He was making some headway, then it flared up again,” coach Billy Donovan said. … G Lonzo Ball (left knee surgery), who last played on Jan. 14, is lightly jogging and doing limited on-court work.

Cavaliers: Cleveland posted winning records in each of the first three months of the season for the first time since 2016-2017. The latter wrapped up a run of 16 straight winning months with All-Stars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. … G Ricky Rubio (left knee rehabilitation), F Dean Wade (left shoulder sprain) and G Dylan Windler (right ankle sprain) remain out. Rubio could return to action within two weeks.

UP NEXT

Bulls: Visit Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

Cavaliers: Host Phoenix on Wednesday night.

___

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Donovan Mitchell's 71-point game the most since Kobe Bryant in 2006

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell just kept scoring.

And scoring. And scoring.

In went another 3-pointer, then another, and another. By audio, it was the swish of the net, followed by the roar of the crowd, and it was a tune that played on repeat nearly the entire night.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love has seen some incredible individual performances during his 15-year NBA career. He's watched Kyrie Irving turn in a couple of 50-point games. He's been a witness to many of LeBron James' best career nights.

But he's never seen anything like what Mitchell did Monday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. In fact, very few in NBA history ever have.

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Seventy-one points. Fifty-five points after halftime. A wild play to send the game into overtime. And a final five minutes in which Mitchell simply couldn't miss and outscored the Chicago Bulls by himself, leading the Cavs to a 145-134 comeback win.

HISTORIC NIGHT:Mavericks star Luka Doncic grabs historic triple-double

NOT SATISFIED:As he turns 38, LeBron is clear: He still wants title shots

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In doing so, Mitchell became just the seventh player in NBA history to reach the 70-point plateau in a single game. No Cavs player had ever reached 60. And no active player has a higher single-game point total.

"In my 15 years, that’s the best performance I’ve ever seen," Love said after the game. "And I’ve been a part of — I’ve seen some special ones. I was talking about Kyrie here against Portland when he had 55. LeBron in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals. Fifty-seven for Kyrie in San Antonio. But this one takes the cake. … I was saying, our group text from 2016, I was like, 'What was Donovan’s asking price?' That was something special tonight. He’s one of what, seven players that have scored over 70? That’s elite company, I can only imagine those names."

Into the record books

Those names: Wilt Chamberlain (six times, including a 100-point game in 1962), Kobe Bryant (81 in 2006), David Thompson (73 in 1978), Elgin Baylor (71, 1960), David Robinson (71, 1994), Devin Booker (70, 2017). A 70-point game had only occurred three times in the last 45 years. And in that time, only Bryant's legendary 81-point night topped Mitchell's.

"It's humbling. I’m speechless, to be honest with you," Mitchell said. "Not only did I do that but I did it in an effort where we came back and won and it’s how we won. This is nuts. I’m extremely blessed and humbled that I’m in that company, in that group. I’ve always believed I can be one of the best players in this league but I have to keep working.

"This is a big milestone, but at the end of the day we have to continue. Those other guys (in the 70-point club) have all won at the highest level and that’s my ultimate goal. But to be there in the record books with them is truly incredible.”

It's something Mitchell had only done as a virtual version of himself in video games.

"2K for sure," Mitchell said, referencing the popular video game franchise. "Definitely, when I first got into the league, I played (2K) as the Jazz and I was just shooting it every time. I don't think I did it this efficiently in 2K. But no, I never have. The closest I think I've got was the bubble maybe, when I had 57. But that was in a loss. So this one feels a lot better."

Praise from LeBron

Mitchell also had 11 assists and eight rebounds, which Love pointed out after the game (in addition to jokingly noting that Mitchell did turn it over four times). To make Mitchell's night even more rare, he scored or assisted on 99 of the Cavs' 145 points. The only name that can top that in a single game in NBA history: Chamberlain, with 104 in 100-point game.

"Get out of the way," Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said when asked how he coaches a 71-point game. "Again, you try to see what they're doing, and you try to figure out how you can continue to create opportunities for the hot hand. He didn't need a lot of help from me tonight."

Mitchell actually started the game ice cold. For most of the night, the Cavs faced a double-digit deficit and at one point trailed by 21 points. As Mitchell began heating up and pouring in points, the Cavs slowly chipped away at the Bulls' lead. Mitchell reached such a scorching hot level that the Cavs began to play a game within a game: keep Mitchell on the floor but find ways to give him breathers as much as possible. Mitchell played every minute of the second half and overtime.

"I mean, he said he was good," Bickerstaff said. "Again, we built a relationship based on trust and I told him, 'Just keep talking to me.' We tried to use our timeouts as wisely as we could to get him as many blows as we could.'"

Mitchell was treated to deafening M-V-P chants multiple times from the home crowd. After the game, Mitchell was being interviewed over the PA system. Cedi Osman took the mic and started his own M-V-P chant, egging the crowd on yet again.

"There's not enough words, I've never been witness to a performance like that live," Bickerstaff said. "I think we've seen some even on TV before, but we were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the NBA. … There's obviously been some great players in this league, but I mean, I don't know, again, I don't know how many guys are capable of doing what he did tonight."

Luka Doncic-like play sends game to OT

And yet, despite Mitchell nearly scoring at will, the Cavs still trailed in the final moments of the fourth quarter. With 4.7 seconds left, Mitchell was sent to the free throw line with the Cavs down 130-127. He made the first free throw and needed to miss the second, hoping the Cavs could get a rebound. It's something they had practiced before. Mitchell had Robin Lopez put into the game so that he and Jarrett Allen could be in the paint and possibly tip the ball back.

Mitchell threw up a high-arching attempt that bounced off the rim and to the right side. Instead of the several seven-footers in the lane, it was Mitchell who fought his way to the ball and as he fell to the floor got the put-back layup to fall, tying it 130-130. Mitchell said that in all the times he had practiced that in his career, with previous teams, it had worked before, but never in which he was the one who got the rebound.

It was a play similar to the one that Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic recently pulled off, also in a situation that led to overtime. But while Doncic threw more of a line drive, Mitchell preferred the higher arching option. It worked to perfection for the Cavs.

"Yeah, because for me it's just so unpredictable," Mitchell said. "Like you don't know, it can hit and go right, it can hit and go left. At least when they loft it, like for me, I put it up there and it hits the rim and goes up, so now I can put myself in the play. And then just go jump and try and make a play. Tap it out, grab it, and in this case make the layup."

Mitchell went on to outscore the Bulls in overtime 13-4 by himself. But after a wild play like the free throw rebound to send it overtime, he wasn't leaving with a loss.

"Once I made that, I sat in the huddle and J.B. and I started laughing and I was like, 'Might as well win the game at this point Mitchell said. "Third and fourth quarter for me is what my job is. It’s going out there and finding a way to win. The free throw was kind of like, that’s why I couldn’t stop smiling after that. It was one of those things. I’m glad we fought and got the win.”

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.

Donovan Mitchell leads NBA season of stunning individual ...

Seventy-one points – 71! – from Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.

It was a record-setting franchise performance that not even LeBron James or Kyrie Irving have broached.

Mitchell’s 71 points were the most scored in an NBA game since Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant had 81 against Toronto in 2006. Phoenix’s Devin Booker posted 70 against Boston in 2017.

Mitchell’s performance marks the 12th time a player has scored at least 70 in a game, and he became just the seventh player in NBA history to reach that figure.

It was just one of several spectacular individual offensive performances this season.

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On the same day Mitchell scored 71, Golden State’s Klay Thompson had 54 points, Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan 44, the Los Angeles Lakers’ James 43 and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid 42. It was the fourth time this season five players scored at least 40 points on the same day, and before Dec. 23, it had happened just four times in 76 NBA seasons, according to The Associated Press.

This season, players have scored at least 40 points 88 times, which is 11th-most in league history, and it’s not even the halfway point of the season. If the pace continues, this season will pass the 1961-62 season for most 40-point games. That’s the season Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 in a game and he had 63 of those 142 40-point games, according to stathead.com.

MORE: Kevin Love calls Donovan Mitchell's 71-point game 'best performance I've ever seen'

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On Tuesday, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 55 points. It was the 14th 50-point game this season – on pace for the most 50-point games in a season since the early 1960s when Chamberlain dropped 50 on opponents on the regular.

Why the big-scoring games? Gifted offensive players, and in general, rules that favor offense.

Let’s take a look at the top eye-popping offensive performances of 2022-23 so far:

Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell

71 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds

Nothing in the first quarter indicated Mitchell was headed for an historic game. He had five points in the first quarter, 16 at halftime and the Cavs trailed the Bulls 60-39 late in the second quarter. But Mitchell scored 24 points in the third, 18 in the fourth and 13 in overtime – 55 points in the final 29 minutes, of which Mitchell played every second. Mitchell was 22-for-34 from the field, 7-for-15 on 3s and 20-for-25 from the free throw line.

Dallas' Luka Doncic

60 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists

The Mavs' star has a league-leading eight 40-point games and none more impressive than his 60-point triple-double in an overtime victory against New York. The 60 points and 21 rebounds were career highs, and it was the first 60-point, 20-rebound triple-double in NBA history. Is this the year Doncic wins the MVP award?

Philadelphia's Joel Embiid

59 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, seven blocks

Embiid has posted monster numbers all season and is No. 2 behind Doncic and Antetokounmpo with seven 40-point games. The Sixers needed every bit of this performance in a 105-98 victory against Utah. He was 19-for-28 from the field and 20-for-24 from the foul line in the first of two 50-point efforts this season.

Phoenix's Devin Booker

58 points, six rebounds, five assists

Not many players in the league can score like Booker when he has it going offensively. One of five players with at least five 40-point games this season, Booker was efficient in the second of his 50-point performances, making 21 of 35 shots from the field, going 6-for-12 on 3-pointers and 10-for-15 from the foul line.

Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis

55 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks

Davis didn’t live at the line to get his double-nickel though he made all nine of his free throw attempts. Davis destroyed Washington with his low-post game, making 20 of 27 shots inside the 3-point line, including 32 points in the paint.

Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo

55 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two steals

If Antetokounmpo is going to make 15 of his 16 free throws, as he did in this victory against Washington, he’s going to put up a big number. He dropped 55 without a made three, going 20-for-33 inside the arc, including 38 points in the paint. Dominant. He joined Doncic as the only players in the league with eight games of at least 40 points.

Golden State's Klay Thompson

54 points, eight rebounds, three assists

Thompson needed two overtimes to reach 54 points but no matter, 54 in 46 minutes is still special. Thompson launched 39 shots, made 21 and hit 10-of-21 3-pointers. It remains a treat to watch Thompson sink shots.

Toronto's Pascal Siakam

52 points, nine rebounds, seven assists

The Raptors have their issues but at 26.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game, Siakam is having another All-Star-caliber season.

Cleveland's Darius Garland

51 points, six assists, two steals

Mitchell isn’t Cleveland’s only prolific scorer. Garland has three 40-point games, including 51 in a loss to Minnesota.

Golden State's Steph Curry

50 points, nine rebounds, six assists

Curry doesn’t need an inordinate number of made 3s to get 50. He can score from anywhere – 20 points inside the arc, 21 points on 3s and nine from the free throw line. That’s to go along with two other 40-point games this season.

Memphis' Ja Morant

49 points, eight assists, two blocks

Morant scored 49 points on just 26 shots. Efficiency is a common thread among these fantastic performances. Morant was 17-for-26 from the field, 5-for-6 on 3s and 10-for-13 from the line. Eight assists underscore how difficult he is to defend.

Boston's Jayson Tatum

49 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals

It doesn’t matter if Tatum wins MVP this season. He is one of the league’s best players and he has displayed that this season. Just 24, Tatum averages 30.9 points this season with six games of 40 or more points.

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James

47 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists

C’mon now. On his 38th birthday, no less. James looks like he can play well into his 40s and still score 40.

Brooklyn's Kevin Durant

45 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, two blocks

One of the game’s greatest bucket-getters, Durant has scored 30 or more points in 17 games and is shooting a career-high 56.4% from the field. He should move into the top-10 all-time in scoring by season’s end and be a top-five all-time scorer by the end of his career.

Denver's Nikola Jokic

40 points, 27 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals

With the first 35-25-10 triple-double since Chamberlain in 1968, according to the basketball-reference.com, it’s no surprise Jokic is making a strong push for this third consecutive MVP.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt

Mitchell scores 32 points, Cavaliers roll past Bulls 128-96

AP

CHICAGO (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, and the Cleveland Cavaliers pounded Chicago 128-96 Saturday night in the Bulls’ home opener.

Mitchell just missed a triple-double with nine rebounds and eight assists, after scoring 31 in his Cleveland debut. The three-time All-Star whose arrival from Utah in a blockbuster trade sent expectations soaring also made four 3-pointers.

Evan Mobley scored 16. Kevin Love and Cedi Osman added 15 points apiece. Love also made five of his team’s 16 3-pointers and grabbed 12 rebounds, helping the Cavaliers roll to an easy win after a season-opening loss at Toronto, even though All-Star guard Darius Garland missed the game because of an eye injury.

Zach LaVine led Chicago with 23 points after missing the first two games with the team trying to manage his left knee after he had surgery in May.

Nikola Vucevic scored 16. DeMar DeRozan had a rough night after averaging 34.5 points in the first two games. He scored 13 before picking up two technical fouls and getting ejected with 4:30 left in the game. The Bulls fell to 1-2 with their second straight loss.

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Cleveland led 80-61 early in the third before the Bulls reeled off 10 consecutive points. Vucevic hit back-to-back 3-pointers and DeRozan made two foul shots to make it a nine-point game.

But a wide open 3 by Love in transition and floater by Mitchell bumped the lead to 89-75 with 2:28 left in the quarter.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Garland will probably miss Cleveland's home opener against Washington on Sunday, though coach J.B. Bickerstaff said “miracles do happen.” Garland suffered a laceration inside his eyelid in the first quarter of Cleveland’s season-opening loss to Toronto when Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. inadvertently poked him in the eye going for a steal.

Bulls: Coach Billy Donovan said LaVine missing the first two games was not part of the original plan, while insisting the two-time All-Star's left knee remains structurally sound following surgery in May. Donovan said he experienced discomfort during a stretch of tough practices following the preseason finale against Milwaukee on Oct. 11. And though LaVine is not on a minutes restriction, the Bulls will monitor his workload particularly during busy stretches. “We knew we were going to have to manage that going into the season,” Donovan said. “We just didn't know when or what that would that would look like.”

UP NEXT

Cavaliers: Host Washington on Sunday.

Bulls: Host Boston on Monday.

___

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NBA rookies: Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell taking league by storm

USA TODAY Sports spotlights one rookie each week as part of our weekly Rookie Power Rankings.

Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon may have inadvertently aided Donovan Mitchell's rise to stardom.

When Gordon pulled out of Saturday’s All-Star dunk contest due to a hip injury, it created a spot for Mitchell, who has quickly shown himself as one of the most acrobatic and electric dunkers in the league.

Alley-oops, surging fastbreaks, tip-dunks, it doesn’t matter. Mitchell throws them all down. He’ll compete Saturday night in the dunk contest against Indiana’s Victor Oladipo, Dallas rookie Dennis Smith Jr., and new Cleveland Cavalier Larry Nance Jr.

More:Donovan Mitchell rallies Jazz past Spurs late for 10th straight win

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More: Gregg Popovich discusses Black History Month, says U.S. is 'racist country'

More:NBA power rankings: New-look Cavs on the rise; Jazz keep winning

The Jazz rookie was initially slated to participate in Saturday night’s skills competition before he got the call and pulled out of the multi-skill challenge. He’ll still compete for the U.S. team in the Rising Stars challenge on Friday night.

“I’ve been Googling or YouTubing the old dunk contests to figure out dunks that kind of got overlooked that are still pretty tough, and guys are a little bit taller than me have done, so if I do it, it might look a little bit better,” he told reporters.

Veterans are catching on and want no part of Mitchell’s aerial display. On Friday night vs. Charlotte, which turned into Utah’s eighth consecutive win, Mitchell trailed on a fastbreak, charged down the lane and chucked the ball through the hoop as Nicolas Batum sidestepped the incoming train. On Monday night, he rallied the Jazz past San Antonio for their NBA-best 10th consecutive win, scoring 25 including eight of Utah's final nine points.

Not only is Mitchell thriving, but also during their streak, the Jazz have beaten six playoff teams and the top two teams in each conference, Toronto and Golden State.

Hovering around .500, they’ve slowly given themselves a chance at the playoffs while reinforcing Mitchell’s Rookie of the Year candidacy. NBA All-Stars are taking notice.

USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick, Jeff Zillgitt, Michael Singer and AJ Neuharth-Keusch vote in our weekly rookie rankings.

1. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers: 16.4 ppg, 7.3 apg, 7.7 rpg

Simmons just keep plugging away. With him on the court, the 76ers have an offensive rating of 106.2 points per 100 possessions, while with him off they’re at 103.2. Defensively, with him on, they allow 101.7 points per 100 possessions, and with him off they’re at 105.6.

2. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz: 19.5 ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.5 rpg

Mitchell scored 40 on 14 for 19 shooting from the field in a recent win over Phoenix. It’s the second time this season he’s scored at least 40. The only other active players to reach that mark as rookies are LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon and Carmelo Anthony.

3. Lauri Markkanen, Chicago Bulls: 15.3 ppg, 1.3 apg, 7.7 rpg

Markkanen is tied with Devin Booker and C.J. Miles for 28th in the NBA with 112 three-pointers made this year. He, along with Simmons, Tatum and Mitchell, will take part in the Rising Stars challenge on Friday night of All-Star weekend.

4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics: 13.6 ppg, 1.4 apg, 5.1 rpg

Since dislocating the pinkie on his shooting hand on Dec. 20, he hasn’t shot better than 34% from the three-point line in either January or February after leading the league in three-point percentage throughout much of the first half.

5. De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings: 11.3 ppg, 4.3 apg, 2.6 rpg

It's officially the Fox show in Sacramento after the Kings traded veteran George Hill during last week's trade deadline. Fox said recently that coach Dave Joerger has entrusted him with more of the playcalling and oftentimes won't dictate a play, content to let the rookie play through. He's averaged over 14 points in January and February since moving into a more prominent role.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Michael Singer on Twitter.

Cavs star Donovan Mitchell goes from goat to overtime hero

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell’s personal tale of atonement concluded with chants of “MVP” filling Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

He knew how fortunate he was to receive such adoration when he stepped to the free throw line to wrap up the Cavaliers’ 117-107 overtime victory over the Washington Wizards Sunday night.

In the final 54 seconds of regulation, the heralded regular-season home debut of the three-time All-Star guard acquired in a blockbuster trade became, in his words, “an absolute disaster.”

The Cavs blew a seven-point lead and Mitchell’s fingerprints were all over it. He missed a floater, committed two turnovers and failed to connect on a potential game-winning step-back 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left.

But encouraged by Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff and appreciative of the coach’s trust in him, Mitchell bounced back quickly. In the five-minute overtime, he led the Cavs with seven points, including an and-one that gave them the lead for good with 1:43 remaining.

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“Going into the summer, there are a lot of things I pride myself on and being a closer, being a guy that you trust with the ball is one of ‘em and I wasn’t that tonight in the fourth,” Mitchell said. “I ultimately ended up getting there…. But sometimes you won’t be able to get to an overtime, you aren’t given a second chance, so you’ve got to be there when your time is called and I wasn’t.

“It doesn’t matter if we had a game yesterday. It doesn’t matter if you’re [on] the back–to-back, I’ve got to be able to do it.”

Afterward during an on-court interview, Mitchell told the fans, “I apologize. I put us in overtime.”

As he entered the interview room, he was saying the same thing in the hallway. Before a question was asked, he said, “I’ll start off, I apologize making you all stay like 35, 45 minutes longer. That was insane, but we got the win.”

Fans forgave him with their chant. His team did the same by awarding him the coveted Junkyard Dawg chain, an idea conceived by Bickerstaff last season to recognize the scrappiest and most impactful player after victories.

“That’s just how he is,” All-Star center Jarrett Allen said of Mitchell’s apology. “He wants to do everything right to the best of his ability. Even when he is doing stuff right, he still feels like he is doing stuff wrong. Shows humility. He wants everyone, not to accept them, but to make sure he is doing the right thing.”

Mitchell was touched to have received the massive chain with a “C” pendant, wearing it during his interview. Backup center Robin Lopez earned it in Saturday night’s victory at Chicago.

“It meant a lot. The guys in the locker room, when I saw Rolo get it, I was like, ‘Oh, this is pretty dope,’” Mitchell said. “For me just to feel a part of the group. They’ve accepted me since Day One. Just to go out there and continuously just find my way, whether it’s offensively, defensively, then to get this, it’s awesome.”

Mitchell said his teammates “continuously uplifted me” during his rough fourth quarter.

Allen said that wasn’t difficult. He said their faith in Mitchell comes from him being “a good dude.”

“That’s what it boils down to,” Allen said. “He is easy to talk to, he doesn’t boast about his accomplishments, he is one of the hardest workers every single game in the gym. It’s easy to root for a guy like that and easy to follow somebody’s lead like that.”

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Mitchell spent the previous five seasons with the Utah Jazz and went to the playoffs every year, but said he had similar bad nights there. On Sunday, he scored four points in the fourth quarter, making 2-of-9 shots and missing both his 3-point attempts.

“I’ve had worse fourth quarters and I’ve shot the ball more than 29 times before, too,” he said. “You continuously just find a way. You just trust the work, getting to your spots. I would say maybe early in my career that missed 3, I’ve missed a 3 in the playoffs from that same spot. I’ve been picked before and given up the lead. Even last year we blew some leads in the fourth quarter and I didn’t play well.

“For me, it’s staying focused on the next play and doing it on both ends of the floor and just continue to fight and battle. That’s what I did and that’s what we did as a group. My teammates were right in my ear, just like, ‘Keep going. Keep going. Don’t stop.'"

Mitchell could have taken a 2-pointer to try to win the game in regulation. But he chose the step-back 3, saying, “That’s my favorite move. Whether it’s a 2 or a 3, that’s the one I probably work at the most.

“I thought it was going in. I’m glad I missed it long than short. If I had missed it short, I would have been pretty pissed because that means I’m tired and I didn’t get my legs into it. I thought it was good. It didn’t go in, but I’m going to take it again if I’m open and continue to trust it.”

It was a historic night for Mitchell. He finished with 37 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals, offset by six turnovers. He became the third player in NBA history to score 30+ points in his first three games with a new team. He joined Wilt Chamberlain, who had eight in a row in 1960 with Philadelphia, and Glenn Robinson, who did the same in three games in his 2002-03 debut with Atlanta.

Mitchell has scored 100 points for the Cavs (2-1), breaking Austin Carr’s record of 90 in the first three games in 1974-75. Of debuting Cavs, Mitchell also stands first, surpassing 72 points by Shawn Kemp in 1997-98.

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“Thirty-seven, that’s tough to come by on any night," Allen said. "Especially the home opener, with the lights on, he showed out."

Bickerstaff was most impressed with Mitchell’s “determination to help the team win.”

“The leadership, the want-to carry his teammates with him, the way he embraces his teammates. It's a needed 37, right? They're not empty 30s that you're seeing from him. We need every one of them," Bickerstaff said as All-Star point guard Darius Garland missed his second consecutive game with an eye injury.

Mitchell enjoyed the experience, saying it felt like a playoff game. The only time he’d heard Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse that loud was when he attended a game in the 2016 Finals.

“When we came out. … that was nuts. Then we had the intro, that was crazy,” he said. “There were segments throughout the game where I caught myself smiling a few times. I’m trying to lock in, but I’m just looking around like, ‘Holy s---.’ The crowd’s electric. It's incredible to be part of that."

Even the crucial turnovers didn’t diminish Mitchell’s performance in Bickerstaff’s eyes because he saw the lessons Mitchell taught with how he recovered.

“He's just got belief. He's got confidence in himself,” Bickerstaff said. “We believe in him, he knows that. His teammates believe in him, he knows that. He's done it before. He's the type of guy that doesn't want to let his teammates down. He took it on himself to make something happen.”

Bickerstaff said that confidence trickles down to the other Cavs.

“It gives them belief, too. It makes them feel like they can overcome the odds because they know that he's there to help carry and take them through adversity,” Bickerstaff said. “They're willing to do more. They've always been a group that's stuck together and fought their way through things and that just adds to it.”

Mitchell’s resilience will be tested, not just how he recovers after playing 79 minutes in a back-to-back as the Cavs host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

“By Wednesday I’ll be fine. We won the game, we did the things necessary, but I’ll be better,” Mitchell vowed.

“I’ll be good by Monday Night Football.”

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.

Magic at Cavaliers

Time: 7 p.m. Wednesday

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Haliburton, Hield combine for 11 3s, Pacers top Cavs 135-126

AP

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton scored 29 points, Buddy Hield made a 3-pointer three seconds into the game and added 25, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 135-126 on Thursday night.

Haliburton was 6 for 8 from 3-point range and Hield, who leads the NBA in 3-pointers, was 5 for 6. The Pacers finished 19 of 31 from beyond the arc.

“You can't ask for much better shooting than that,” said Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith, who had 22 points. “They shoot the ball like that, it's going to be tough to beat us any night.”

Indiana trailed by seven early in the fourth quarter before rallying. Hield fed Nesmith for a go-ahead dunk to give the Pacers a 120-119 lead with 4:26 remaining.

“This is the most fun I’ve had playing basketball in a very long time,” said Nesmith, a third-year pro acquired from Boston in the offseason.

Follow every game: Latest NBA Scores and Schedules

Haliburton converted a three-point play on the next possession and the Pacers never surrendered the lead.

“This game was about our defense, or the lack of it,” said Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff, whose team ranks No. 1 in fewest points allowed at 105.5 per game. “We decided we wanted to play Indiana Pacers basketball and that's their strength. We didn't play Cleveland Cavaliers basketball and play to our strength.”

Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points and Myles Turner 14 as Indiana snapped a five-game losing streak against the Cavaliers, who have lost three in a row.

“Any time the ball is going into the basket like that, you feel good,” said Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce, who took over after Rick Carlisle was ejected. "But (the Cavaliers) are capable of doing that. And that's scary for us.

“When the ball goes into the basket, it makes you want to play that way. We have to play that way. And Ty is our leader. He's going to set the tone and the pace for us."

All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points to lead a balanced Cleveland offense with seven double-digit scorers. Mitchell sank five of the Cavaliers' 12 3-pointers.

“We kept giving up 3s,” Bickerstaff said. “The 3-ball is the way back into the game. It’s personnel-driven, understanding the person you’re guarding, being on high alert that that’s what they are looking for. I just didn’t think we had the focus on the defensive end of the floor because we were scoring points. We have to be able to do both."

Cleveland's Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen each had 19 and All-Star guard Darius Garland finished with 18 points and eight assists.

The 3-point barrage began just three seconds in as the opening tip was batted directly to Hield, who turned and swished a shot that was the fastest 3-pointer recorded since play-by-play began in 1996-97. In the first half, the Pacers hit 9 of 15 from beyond the arc and the Cavaliers 7 of 13. The Cavaliers led 68-64 at halftime.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Dropped to 6-10 on the road. ... Forward Cedi Osman (back) was a last-minute inactive and center Robin Lopez (illness) missed his second consecutive game.

Pacers: Carlisle was assessed two technicals and ejected with 1:29 remaining in the third quarter after arguing that an off-balance Mitchell threw the ball off the backboard to himself. ... Mathurin leads the league in bench scoring at 17.6 points per game.

UP NEXT

Cavaliers: Visit Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

Pacers: Host L.A. Clippers on Saturday.

___

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Week 11 NBA power rankings: How will Isaiah Thomas' return shake ...

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 24-12, 1 ½ games behind the second-place Toronto Raptors, and will be adding an All-Star point guard — who finished fifth in last year's MVP race — into the lineup for the first time this season on Tuesday.

And with that, the top of the Eastern Conference gets all the more interesting.

While Isaiah Thomas' presence won't catapult the Cavs past the conference-leading Boston Celtics right away, what with seven months of rust for Thomas to shake off, it makes them that much more dangerous on the offensive end of the floor, where they already rank third in the league with 111.2 points scored per 100 possessions.

With 2017 in the books, here's how we view the league's current power structure. Voters, listed at the bottom of this page, include NBA reporters from across the USA TODAY Network.

1. Golden State Warriors (29-8) | Last week: 1

Follow every game: Latest NBA Scores and Schedules

With his 10 three-pointers made Saturday night in his return from an 11-game absence, Stephen Curry — who finished with 38 points in just 26 minutes — reached nine career games of double-digit threes. The next closest players are J.R. Smith and Klay Thompson, both with three such games.

2. Boston Celtics (30-10) | Last week: 5

Al Horford may not be filling up the scoring column on a nightly basis, but the savvy veteran is one of just four players averaging at least 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists while shooting 50% or higher from the field.

3. Houston Rockets (26-9) | Last week: 2

The good news for Houston? They won on Sunday, snapping a five-game skid. The bad? MVP frontrunner James Harden exited the game with a left hamstring injury and will be sidelined for at least the next two weeks, which could significantly widen the two-game gap between Houston and Golden State for the top two spots in the West.

4. Toronto Raptors (25-10) | Last week: 4

Is it time to put DeMar DeRozan, who dropped a franchise-high 52 points in Monday's overtime win against Milwaukee, in the MVP conversation? The ninth-year guard has improved significantly as a shooter (from career averages of 0.4 three-pointers made per game at a 28.8% clip to 1.1 makes at 34.9%) and ranks second in the NBA in total points scored off drives with 345.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers (24-12) | Last week: 3

Isaiah Thomas, who will be on a minutes restriction and won't play back-to-backs for now, says he has "no feel for the game" but that it's only a matter of time before he gets his "powers" back.

"Even when we're out there scrimmaging, I can move around and do what I want, but I just don't have my powers yet," he said Monday. "With the games coming, it's going to give me an opportunity to get my rhythm back, get my feel back. It might take some time, but at the same time, the progress that I've made is all good, positive progress, and I'm excited about the opportunity to be able to get out there and compete."

6. San Antonio Spurs (25-12) | Last week: 6

Just as the Spurs were becoming fully healthy, Rudy Gay was shut down for at least two weeks with a right heel injury. The veteran forward is one of just four players averaging at least 11 points and five rebounds in less than 23 minutes per game this season.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves (24-14) | Last week: 7

Jimmy Butler is averaging 28.8 points (on 53.7% shooting), 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds over Minnesota's past eight games — seven of which were wins.

8. Washington Wizards (21-16) | Last week: 9

The Wizards, who have won four of their past five games, have shot 42.8% from beyond the arc during that span — good for first in the NBA.

9. Detroit Pistons (20-15) | Last week: 11

No Reggie Jackson, no problem? Veteran journeyman Ish Smith, who has proven capable of filling a team's starting point guard void when called upon, is averaging 18 points, 4.5 assists and five rebounds in two starts since Jackson went down with an ankle injury. Detroit has seen other players step up due to injuries as well, as Luke Kennard (20 points) and Reggie Bullock (22 points) both put together career-high scoring nights in the Pistons' most recent win — a 93-79 rout of San Antonio.

10. Oklahoma City Thunder (20-17) | Last week: 8

Russell Westbrook has shot 55.3% from the field in Oklahoma City's past eight games. In the 29 games prior, he shot 38.8%.

"Russ is just playing, not trying to defer to anybody, to any one of us, just playing his game and letting us play off of him," Carmelo Anthony said. "I think he's much more effective by doing that rather than deferring to myself or Paul (George)."

11. Milwaukee Bucks (19-16) | Last week: 13

If the Bucks want to be recognized with the best of the East, they have to beat them. Aside from a season-opening win over Boston, Milwaukee is 2-5 against the five teams ahead of them in the standings.

12. Portland Trail Blazers (19-17) | Last week: 16

While the Blazers boast the fourth-best defense in the NBA, they're 27th on the offensive end of the floor, scoring just 102.4 points per 100 possessions — a five-plus point drop off from last season.

13. Denver Nuggets (19-17) | Last week: 10

As far as most-improved second-year players go, Jaylen Brown and Brandon Ingram may garner more national attention, but Denver's Jamal Murray, who averaged a team-high 19.1 points in December, is right there with them.

14. Miami Heat (19-17) | Last week: 14

Only two players in the NBA averaged 17-plus points while shooting at least 54% from the field, 46% from three and 88% from the line in December. Stephen Curry, who played in just four games due to injury, was one. Josh Richardson, who played in all 15 of Miami's games, was the other.

15. New Orleans Pelicans (18-18) | Last week: 15

Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins are on pace to become the first duo in NBA history to both average at least 25 points and 10 rebounds for an entire season, per Elias Sports Bureau, and yet the Pelicans are still mired in mediocrity, unable to get more than three games over .500 at any point so far this season.

16. Indiana Pacers (19-18) | Last week: 12

Veteran Al Jefferson called out his team for their lack of effort following their fourth consecutive loss Sunday — a 17-point rout against Minnesota.

"We can't blame the coaches, can't blame the fans, can't blame nobody," he said. "We the ones out there. Just no effort, at all. That's something you just cannot have. You got to have effort out there. You miss every shot you shoot? That happens. But you got to play hard."

17. Philadelphia 76ers (17-19) | Last week: 18

X-rays revealed that Joel Embiid avoided suffering a significant hand injury in Sunday's win over Phoenix, but you can't help but wonder if this will keep the oft-injured big man, who has already missed nine games this season, on the shelf for more than just one game.

18. New York Knicks (18-18) | Last week: 17

The Knicks entered 2017 with a 16-17 record but won just 15 of their next 49 games and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. They head into 2018 in a similar spot, at 18-18, but coach Jeff Hornacek isn't anticipating such a drastic drop off this time around.

"Usually when you have an older team of veteran guys and the losses start piling up, guys have a tendency to go, 'OK, this season (is over),' " Hornacek said. "These guys are going to fight until the end of the season no matter what our record is."

19. Los Angeles Clippers (16-19) | Last week: 20

The Clippers, who have won three consecutive games and five of their last six, are now just 1 ½ games out of eighth place in the West.

20. Utah Jazz (16-21) | Last week: 19

Donovan Mitchell, leading all rookies in scoring at 18.2 points per game, received a resounding endorsement from LeBron James after his 29-point performance in Saturday's win over Cleveland.

"He's a player," James said. "Kid got a lot of game. They've been riding that wave all season since they realized what they actually got. He's not afraid of the moment. He just goes out and plays ball."

21. Chicago Bulls (13-24) | Last week: 24

Only one player in the NBA is shooting at least 46% from beyond the arc and averaging 2.5 or more three-pointers made per game. That player is Nikola Mirotic.

22. Brooklyn Nets (14-23) | Last week: 22

An odd stat for an odd team: Half of the Nets' wins this season have come against teams in the Southeast Division (they're 7-3 against Atlanta, Miami, Orlando and Washington).

23. Dallas Mavericks (13-25) | Last week: 28

The Mavs, whose four consecutive wins have all come against teams current playoff teams, struck gold on draft night with Dennis Smith Jr., and coach Rick Carlisle knows it.

"We drafted him because we think he can be a great player, one of the best players ever to play in a Mavericks uniform," Carlisle said of the rookie, who on Friday became the third-youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.

24. Phoenix Suns (14-24) | Last week: 23

T.J. Warren, who has helped lead the Suns to five wins in their past eight games, is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 19 points while shooting below 20% from beyond the arc.

25. Charlotte Hornets (13-23) | Last week: 21

The Hornets, who finished last season ranked 14th in the NBA with an offensive rating of 106.4, are 25th this season, scoring just 102.9 points per 100 possessions.

26. Memphis Grizzlies (12-25) | Last week: 29

Could Mike Conley's return be right around the corner? The star point guard, who has been sidelined since early November with soreness in his left Achilles, still doesn't have an official timetable for return, but he's made great strides in his recovery.

27. Sacramento Kings (12-24) | Last week: 26

The last time a player, 40 years or older and not named Vince Carter, scored 24 or more points in a game? Michael Jordan in 2003. Carter has two such games in the past nine months — March (24 points on 8-of-8 shooting) and last Wednesday (24 points on 10-of-12 shooting).

28. Orlando Magic (12-26) | Last week: 27

The skill sets of Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo couldn't be more different, but the latter has played well since taking over the starting center duties, averaging 9.5 points, 13 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in four games.

29. Atlanta Hawks (10-26) | Last week: 30

The Hawks have won three of their past four games, including routs of Washington and Portland, yet still have the worst record in the NBA and are on pace for the third-worst season in franchise history.

30. Los Angeles Lakers (11-25) | Last week: 25

The Lakers have lost their last seven games, and just like that, have the second-worst record in the NBA and are on track to hand over their first-round pick to Boston (must fall between Nos. 2 and 5).

This week’s voters: USA TODAY Sports’ Sam Amick, Jeff Zillgitt, Michael Singer and AJ Neuharth-Keusch; Detroit Free Press' Vince Ellis; The Record's Steve Popper; The Indianapolis Star's Clifton Brown; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Matt Velazquez


Andrew Tate: the 'king of toxic masculinity' accused of human ...

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Quiz of The Week: 31 December – 6 January | The Week UK


Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 5 January 2023 | The Week UK

Francis to preside over funeral

The Vatican said that close to 200,000 people paid their respects to former Pope Benedict XVI during his lying in state over the last three days. “By comparison with the enormous throng of people – most of them Poles – who came to see Pope John Paul II lying in St Peter’s Basilica”, the thousands queuing are “fewer but even more diverse”, said the Catholic Herald. Pope Francis will preside over the funeral today, the first time a sitting Pope has led his predecessor’s funeral in over 220 years.