2021 NBA Playoffs: Is Donovan Mitchell playing tonight against the LA Clippers in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals?
Donovan Mitchell starred in the Utah Jazz’s close victory in game 2 of the NBA Western Conference semifinals against the LA Clippers. The Jazz raced to a 2-0 lead after Mitchell ended with a stat line of 37 points and four assists to add to a commanding 45-display in game 1. However, with less than 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Donovan Mitchell had an unfortunate collision with Paul George. The Jazz star man was seen limping around the court in the aftermath of the incident.
Donovan Mitchell was on the receiving end of an avoidable collision that has resulted in concerned fans. The 24-year old point-guard is absolutely crucial to the Utah Jazz’s title ambitions this season. In this article, we look at whether Donovan Mitchell is fit enough to play tonight in game 3 against the LA Clippers.
2021 NBA Playoffs: Is Donovan Mitchell playing tonight in game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the LA Clippers?
Fans will be happy to know that Donovan Mitchell is expected to feature in the starting lineup against LA Clippers in game 3. Straight from the horse’s mouth, Mitchell had the following to say about his right ankle injury after top-scoring in game 2,
"I got hit and it hurt, but I'm fine now. I walked in here. If you want me to sprint for you, I can. I'm good. You know, s**t happens. Thankfully, it wasn't bad. Move on and get ready for Game 3."
Hence, while fans had good reason to be worried about “Spida” Mitchell’s injury, he should be okay to start the game. Considering he missed a number of games towards the end of the regular season due to a similar injury, there appears to be no cause for similar concern as far as game 3 goes. He also missed game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies, but has returned to his very best when it matters the most for his team.
Donovan Mitchell has averaged 32.6 points in the six playoff matches he has played so far and is virtually unplayable against the LA Clippers. The Clippers have alternated defenders on Donovan Mitchell so far and have tried to double-team him for much of the past two matches.
However, Mitchell has shown some elite decision-making and knows when to take on shots. He won game 2 with less than 43 seconds to spare but was caught late by Paul George and is the main difference between the two teams so far. The LA Clippers might be forced to deploy the likes of Leonard and Paul George on Donovan Mitchell for the majority of the coming games.