In case you forgot, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell is a rookie. It almost feels like we have to always be reminded that Mitchell is just 21 and is playing in only his first season as a pro because with the way he’s playing, he could easily be mistaken for a veteran. Mitchell is showing no detectable signs of being intimidated in these playoffs. He has essentially rid his stomach of postseason butterflies as the longer the first-round series with the Oklahoma City Thunder gets, the more brazen Mitchell becomes.
In Game 6 Friday night, Donovan Mitchell’s audacity level probably reached its peak when he sent reigning MVP Russell Westbrook to the ground with a slick crossover dribble move before evading Thunder forward Patrick Patterson’s arms with a sweet-looking lefty layup.
In a sense, that’s a microcosm of how Mitchell is dominating the Thunder in the series. Before Game 6, Mitchell was averaging 26.6 points on 44.4 shooting from the floor. Mitchell is the single biggest reason why Oklahoma City is being humiliated in this matchup. The Thunder were the favorites to win the first round prior to the series, but it’s Utah which is currently enjoying a 3-2 series lead.
A win tonight will punch the Jazz’s tickets to the second round of the playoffs in a duel with the Houston Rockets.