The Utah Jazz centerpiece refused to show any signs of rust this month.
It’s unlikely Donovan Mitchell will add February hardware to his first Western Conference Player of the Month Award, which he took home for his brilliance in December; no, the media doesn’t seem to love him quite that much. Still, the three-time Utah Jazz All-Star ought to be in the conversation.
There’s no denying he had yet another spectacular month to remember.
Mitchell missed the last seven games of January and the first game of February while trying to clear the NBA’s concussion protocols. Uncoincidentally, the 25-year-old showstopping guard’s eight-game absence coincided with a dismal 2-6 stretch from the Jazz.
Somewhat surprisingly, though, Mitchell returned in seemingly peak condition and utterly sizzling from downtown. In the end, the former low lottery pick posted one of the best all-around months of his five-year pro career.
And Utah enjoyed the very definition of a bounceback month with its 8-1 record in February, including victories over four of the top six squads in the Western Conference standings.
Stellar stats from the Utah Jazz sensation
Across his eight appearances this month, Donovan Mitchell averaged 27.9 points. That’s the highest mark he’s ever posted in February and trails only the 30.2 points he averaged in December for his best month this season.
Furthermore, Mitchell drained 46.9 percent of his 3-point attempts in February, setting a career-high for any month in the regular season.
Plus, he tallied an impressive 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 84.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Should Donovan Mitchell somehow improve on all of the above numbers in March, it’s safe to say the Utah Jazz will have a chance to climb as high as No. 2 in the West. Currently, they are less than five games back of that spot.
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