Donovan Mitchell’s usage rate raises red flags for Cavs’ long

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When Donovan Mitchell took over in the third quarter of the Cavs’ season opener against the Knicks, the Madison Square Garden crowd witnessed a superstar performance reminiscent of another NBA dynamo — but not necessarily in a way that Cleveland’s coaching staff appreciated.

“You loved the Donovan third quarter takeover. It was fun and necessary. But I don’t care what they have available to them, you don’t like seeing Donovan getting stretched out for cramps in the fourth quarter of Game 1,” said Jimmy Watkins, cleveland.com columnist, pointing to the physical toll of Mitchell’s heroic effort.