LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Donovan Mitchell lit up Paris, scoring 45 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 111-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets as the National Basketball Association returned to France on Thursday.
The Cavs’ victory was just one dominant performance on a day that saw the Milwaukee Bucks rout the league-leading Boston Celtics 135-102 and the Oklahoma City Thunder crush the Portland Trail Blazers 139-77.
Mitchell, a four-time NBA All-Star, added six assists and four steals and said he loved his Paris experience — and would like to repeat it at the Olympic Games later this year.
“Definitely I’d love to come back and play in the Olympics,” Mitchell said. “This is a very electric basketball city. Just being able to see this experience, to be a part of it and do it with the NBA, do it with my teammates — incredible.
“I’ve had a lot of fun and I’m glad we got the win as well.”
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Mitchell’s aggressive approach “set the tone for everybody” on the team.
“I thought Donovan was phenomenal at giving the audience and us what they came to see and what we needed to win the game,” Bickerstaff said.
