Donovan Mitchell scored a career-high 71 points, the NBA’s single-game best since Kobe Bryant’s 81-point performance in January 2006, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied past the visiting Chicago Bulls 145–134 in overtime on Monday.
Mitchell’s performance sets a Cavaliers franchise record, is tied for the eighth-most points in an NBA game, and puts him in company with just five other players in NBA history to score 71 points or more in a contest: Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, and David Robinson.
With the Cavaliers trailing 130–127 after a pair of Coby White free throws with 7.4 seconds remaining, Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu sent Mitchell to the foul line. Mitchell made the first, then after intentionally missing the second, chased down the carom for a putback to force a 130–130 tie and send the game to the extra period….