Donovan Mitchell credits New Year's Eve drinks for 71-point game

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has attributed his career-high 71-point performance against the Chicago Bulls to consuming alcohol on New Year’s Eve, the night before the game.

Speaking on the ‘Cousins’ podcast with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, Mitchell noted that the drinks were a rare departure from his usual routine. He stated, ‘I’ve never drunk before a game in my life. It was New Year’s. So I did have a drink, a few drinks, the night before the game.’

The historic scoring outburst occurred during a 145-134 overtime victory on January 2, 2023. Mitchell initially struggled, scoring only 16 points in the first half as the Cavaliers trailed by as many as 20 points. He later surged with 24 points in the third quarter and 18 in the fourth, eventually adding 13 points in overtime. His final stat line included 22-of-34 shooting and 20-of-25 from the free-throw line.