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During the Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies matchup Thursday night, Donovan Mitchell got into a heated exchange with Dillon Brooks. It all started when Brooks purposely hit Mitchell in the groin after hitting the floor following a layup attempt.
Following the hit from Brooks, Donovan Mitchell threw the ball at him and proceeded to approach him. The two got in each other's faces and a scuffle ensued. Once the referees took control of the situation, both players were ejected from the contest.
During an episode of FS1's "Undisputed," Skip Bayless gave his thoughts on the altercation between Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks. He feels Brooks went out of his way to start this because he is the enforcer for the Memphis Grizzlies:
"He's been doing it for five seasons. He wanted this, he embraces this, he is there enforcer, he does their dirty work for them. He wants to defend in the grayest of gray areas."
Following the altercation, the Cleveland Cavaliers went on to take full control of the game and win by a final score of 128-113.
Donovan Mitchell responds to altercation with Dillon Brooks
After the game, Donovan Mitchell fielded questions about what happened between him and Dillon Brooks. The All-Star guard decided to get one final shot in with his response. Mitchell said the fight broke out because of Brooks' frustration that he couldn't guard him:
"Quite frankly, I've been busting his ass for years. Playoffs, regular season...it's tough when you can't guard somebody & you got to resort to that & that's what he's done to a lot of players."
While Mitchell might feel this way, how things played out Thursday tells a different story. Prior to his ejection, he was in the midst of a rough night. Mitchell had only six points in the game and was shooting an abysmal 2 for 11 from the field. Based on his response to the cheap shot, it was clear that Brooks had him frustrated leading up to the physical altercation.
Diving deeper into the numbers also does not back up Donovan Mitchell's comments. Since he started his career with the Utah Jazz, he faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies often. That being said, Thursday night was not the first time he struggled against them.
In 15 career games against the Grizzlies, Mitchell is averaging 20.7 points on 38.9% shooting. Of all 30 NBA teams, that is his second-lowest points per game average for a single opponent. The Toronto Raptors are the only team he averages less against.
Mitchell may not want to admit it, but the Grizzlies are a team that knows how to get under his skin.
Guess the Lakers players!
