Utah Jazz: 3 studs and 1 dud in home win vs Kings

Utah Jazz stud: Donovan Mitchell

For the second game in the row, Donovan Mitchell made good on his star status for the Utah Jazz. If any Jazz fans reading this are in the vicinity of wood, please don’t hesitate to knock on it, but Donovan Mitchell may be back.

Last night, Mitchell finished with 36 points on 14/30 shooting from the field and 5/12 shooting from three-point range. He also added 8 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal to the Jazz’s cause.

Mitchell looked as comfortable as he did in the Jazz’s previous matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks, getting his points in the flow of the offense as frequently as he dictated the terms singlehandedly. Many of Mitchell’s 36 points came in the third quarter, when he exploded with a series of difficult three-point attempts. That offensive production was critical in a quarter that the Jazz only won 31-29.

The most reassuring statistic for Utah Jazz fans from Mitchell in this game has to be his three-point efficiency. Mitchell won’t lose his ability to get to the rim for another 10-to-15 years, but at 6’1, he needs to be a highly effective three-point shooter in order to function as a bonafide offensive alpha.

After last night’s performance, Mitchell’s 3-point percentage on the season rose to 32.9%. That’s not a positive mark by any means, but Utah Jazz fans should be comforted by the knowledge that it’s trending upwards.

Last night’s performance marks two games in a row for Mitchell where he met his own standard. We can officially say that any observers who were concerned about permanent regression from the Utah Jazz star had grossly overreacted.