The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be right on the cusp of greatness but haven't been able to put the nail in the coffin.
There could be many attributing reasons for Cleveland's struggle to claim the top spot in the Eastern Conference since LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers. Unsurprisingly, one reason could be the plethora of talent across the NBA, and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell opened up about the toughest players he's had to face.
“I would say (Devin Booker), (Anthony Edwards). I’d say (Jaylen Brown), but put all the (Boston) Celtics in there," Mitchell said on "7PM". "I have so much respect for them. (Stephen Curry), because you got to run with that (expletive). You know Steph is just running around nonstop. I can't say the (Kevin Durant's) and (LeBron James') because I don't guard them, you know what I'm saying? I give respect to Jalen Brunson here in New York. That (expletive), he's nice!”
The players that Mitchell believes are his toughest defensive assignments are undoubtedly worthy of respect.
Booker, fresh off of winning a gold medal in the Paris Olympics, is a premier shooter. Among active players, he has the ninth-highest career scoring average (24.3 points per game). He’s on pace to be the Suns’ all-time leading scorer by the end of the 2024-25 season.
Edwards has already become one of the faces of the league. A prototypical wing, he impacts the game in every way the Minnesota Timberwolves want him to do. As his career unfolds, he’s one of the young players who could become an NBA MVP.
Between Brown and Brunson, the man in New York is more popular than the man in Boston. Brunson has restored some measure of the New York Knicks’ glory with his tough shot-making, achieving a semi-mythical status. Yet, Brown is the reigning NBA Finals MVP, a key cog in the Celtics’ championship-caliber core with his dominance in isolation — at both ends.
However, none of them have reached the heights of Curry. A transformational star with four rings and two MVP awards, it’s amazing to think that he was never expected to be so good. As Mitchell notes, his endurance is key to his excellence as the guard is constantly running around Golden State Warriors' seemingly endless screens.
More NBA: Cavaliers star sounds off on disrespect; believes he’s a top talent in the NBA
