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Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell rocks ho-hum Rising Stars game

CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 15: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the U.S. Team goes to the basket against the World Team during the 2019 Mtn Dew ICE Rising Stars Game on February 15, 2019 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 15: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the U.S. Team goes to the basket against the World Team during the 2019 Mtn Dew ICE Rising Stars Game on February 15, 2019 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell had a strong showing for Team USA during the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend 2019 in Charlotte.

For the second straight year, Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell made an appearance in the Rising Stars Challenge to tip-off NBA All-Star Weekend. And, much as he did during his first foray into the league’s annual rookie-sophomore game, Mitchell was doing things rarely seen in that setting.

You know, things like looking for open teammates, actually playing defense from time to time and generally making an honest effort to win the game. Crazy, I know.

Thanks in part to his efforts, the Americans were able to secure a 161-144 win at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte on Friday night. It was the domestic squad’s first win since the 2016 game.

On that night, three Jazz players — Rodney Hood, Raul Neto and Trey Lyles — were in action. However, none impacted the Rising Stars game like Mitchell did in his second go-round.

The Jazz guard scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting for Team USA, hitting three 3-point shots in the process and stuffing the box score with nine assists, seven rebounds, five steals and a blocked shot.

Team USA outscored the World team by 23 points when he was on the floor, which was a game high in the plus/minus department.

Mitchell was also instrumental in helping to secure MVP honors for his good friend and former University of Utah Runnin’ Ute Kyle Kuzma, feeding him early and often to jumpstart a big night. By the time the clock read 00:00, Kuz had amassed a game-high 35 points.

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Mitchell’s rookie rival Ben Simmons led Team World with 28 points.

All told, the best thing I can really say about this game is that it was definitely a thing that happened. As ever, it was the ultimate display of non-competing, guys jogging up and down the floor and generally clearing out defensively so that whoever had the ball could attempt to make a highlight reel play.

Still, it was fun for what it was and Mitchell was good when he got the chance to be. It’s a real shame that this will go down as the Jazz’s only on-court involvement at NBA All-Star 2019, though. The team’s total absence from the big game on Sunday remains an epic fail on the part of the Association.

Thankfully, the Jazzland masses still get the chance to hear Mitchell on commentary during the Slam Dunk Contest on All-Star Saturday Night. Those festivities will air live on TNT beginning at 6 PM MT.

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