Donovan Mitchell and the rest of the Utah Jazz were getting outplayed by the Sacramento Kings in the first half of their showdown at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday. But true to form, the team with the best record in the league flipped the switch in the final 24 minutes and made quick work of the lowly visitors, 128-112.
After the game, Mitchell said the Kings made an unacceptable mistake, which caused him to dial things up a notch in the second half. Per Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune, one Kings player talked some trash to his Jazz teammate Joe Ingles, which triggered an angry response from the usually calm and collected forward.
And when Joe gets furious, Mitchell does the same. The Spida admitted going full-blown Hulk against Sacramento.
Donovan Mitchell, on what turned the game around: "Somebody said something to Joe, and Joe gave an answer I haven’t heard in awhile. And when Joe gets angry, I get angry."
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) April 11, 2021
The Kings did feel the wrath of Mitchell, particularly in the fourth period where he scored 14 of his season-high 42 points. He drained 12 of his 31 attempts from the floor, including three made treys, to go along with three rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in 35 minutes of play.
The two-time All-Star has been on a scoring tear in the Jazz's last three games, including a 41-point explosion versus the Phoenix Suns and a 37-point output against the Portland Trail Blazers. Mitchell is already hard to stop as it is, and he certainly doesn't need the extra motivation to get him going.
The Kings better find that player who angered Ingles (and Mitchell in the process) and bench him the next game. Kidding aside, the Jazz also extended their franchise record for consecutive home wins at 24 straight games.
Let this be a warning to the other 29 teams: You won't like Donovan Mitchell when he gets angry.
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