Donovan Mitchell has one of the wildest lines in recent Cavaliers memory, and now he’s joking about the strange little ingredient he thinks helped fuel it.
The Cavs star said the night before his 71-point explosion in early 2023 wasn’t exactly a normal one. “I’ve never drank before a game in my life.
It was New Year’s. So I did have a drink, a few drinks the night before the game… so I tell people like that was probably what… allowed me to have the night I had,” he said, per Cousins w/ Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady on X, formerly Twitter.
Whatever the explanation, it worked that night. Mitchell’s 71-point masterpiece remains one of the signature moments of his Cleveland run.
That run now includes a new contract extension, which he signed this offseason after the Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Finals this past year. Cleveland also added Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets in what has been a busy offseason for the team.
The Cavs are still trying to turn that progress into something bigger in the playoffs. Last year’s trip to the conference finals marked their first without LeBron James, but it didn’t leave them with a clean sense of momentum. Their first two playoff series both went seven games, and then they were blown out by the eventual champion New York Knicks once they got there.
Watson’s arrival could matter there. Cleveland has been looking for help at the small forward spot ever since James left town, and the trade gives them a possible answer.
The 2026-27 season is set to begin on October 22, when the Cavs open on the road against James and his new Philadelphia 76ers team.
In Other News...
LeBron's Latest Move Just Changed The Cavs Legacy Conversation
The 2015-16 Cavaliers already had a permanent place in Cleveland sports history, thanks to the title that ended the citys long championship drought and the remarkable way LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love finished off Golden State after falling behind 3-1. Now that team is back in the broader sports conversation after Bleacher Report ranked it 89th among the greatest teams of all time, a reminder that what happened that spring still carries weight well beyond Northeast Ohio.
LeBrons latest move only adds another layer to the discussion. After signing a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, he said his motivation is still rooted in competing and winning championships, which inevitably sends the mind back to the defining run of his career in Cleveland. For Cavs fans, it is the kind of moment that revives an old question about where that championship group sits in league history and how much more its legacy can still shift as the players tied to it keep adding new chapters. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs New Forward Is Hinting At A Bigger Role Than Expected
Peyton Watsons offseason has already put him in some pretty rare company. The new Cavaliers forward was seen working out with Kevin Durant and LeBron James, a sign that his summer prep has been aimed at more than just getting ready for camp. Watson has been focused on strength training and sharpening his skill set as he tries to make a clean fit in Clevelands lineup, and the early attention around him suggests the Cavs may have more planned for him than a routine depth role.
What makes Watson intriguing from Clevelands side is the combination of upside and experience he brings with him. He has already been part of a championship team, and that background matters for a roster looking to blend talent with reliable habits. If Watsons development keeps trending the right way, he could end up carving out a bigger place next to the Cavaliers core than many expected when he arrived. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Fans Can See Why Dellavedova Belongs Back In Cleveland
Matthew Dellavedova has spent the last few years in Australias NBL, but his name still carries a particular weight in Cleveland. For Cavaliers fans, he will always be linked to the grind of the 2015 NBA Finals and the kind of relentless effort that made him easy to root for, and that same reputation is now part of a different conversation around the franchise.
If Dellavedova decides he wants to move into coaching, there is an obvious case for why he would fit with the Cavaliers. His work ethic, familiarity with the organization and natural connection to the teams players all stand out, even if nothing official has been announced. It is the sort of possibility that makes sense on paper and would feel even more natural in the building if it ever became real. [Read more 🡒]