CLEVELAND -- 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 an NBA player in 17 years, and the Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime Monday night.
It was the most points in a game by any player since Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had 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, who was 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.
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'' 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 3.0 seconds left, 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 the Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker each reached the figure once.
"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.''
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.
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'' 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 3.0 seconds left, 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 the Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker each reached the figure once.
"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.''
He scored or assisted on 99 points, the second most in a game in NBA history and the most since Chamberlain's 100-point game.
During his postgame news conference, Mitchell was almost in disbelief when told 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."
Mitchell later tweeted a photo of himself surrounded by his Cavaliers teammates while holding a piece of paper with "71" written on it, a nod to the iconic Chamberlain photograph.
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.''
Mitchell set a Cleveland record with 71 points, most by an NBA player in 17 years, and the Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime Monday night.
It was the most points in a game by any player since Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had 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, who was 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.
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'' 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 3.0 seconds left, 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 the Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker each reached the figure once.
"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.''
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.
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'' 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 3.0 seconds left, 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 the Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker each reached the figure once.
"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.''
He scored or assisted on 99 points, the second most in a game in NBA history and the most since Chamberlain's 100-point game.
During his postgame news conference, Mitchell was almost in disbelief when told 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."
Mitchell later tweeted a photo of himself surrounded by his Cavaliers teammates while holding a piece of paper with "71" written on it, a nod to the iconic Chamberlain photograph.
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.''
