NBA All-Star Game 2026: Did Mitchell deserve a starting spot? “That’s fair”
Despite the numbers and his impact on the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell won’t start the 2026 All-Star Game: his response
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Donovan Mitchell had started to glimpse some continuity after back-to-back wins over the Sixers, but even the smallest ray of light in what has been a bleak season so far was quickly extinguished.
Cleveland was overwhelmed by the NBA’s best team, falling 136-104 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who needed just over three quarters to build a 20-plus-point lead and put the game on ice.
A rough night from Donovan Mitchell weighed heavily on the Cavs’ performance. The former Jazz star finished with just 19 points, shooting 5-of-18 from the field.
The Thunder’s defensive pressure was relentless, and even for the league’s seventh-leading scorer at 29.2 points per game, finding the basket became a challenge.
A performance that also hinted at possible disappointment over not being selected as a starter in the 2026 All-Star Game.
Honestly, I kind of expected it. The guys who were chosen (Brown, Cunningham, Maxey, Brunson and Giannis, ed.) have a better record than we do. Of course I would’ve liked to start, but at the end of the day winning games is what matters: if you win, the recognition comes eventually. Winning comes first.
Donovan Mitchell
Winning, this season, has proven to be a tough task for Cleveland, despite having the highest payroll in the league. Compared to January 2025, when the Cavs sat atop the Eastern Conference, this team now looks very different.
Darius Garland has often been sidelined with foot issues; the Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen frontcourt has had less impact on both ends of the floor; and bench additions, including Lonzo Ball, haven’t delivered the boost the team hoped for.
With a 24-20 record at the midway point of the season, the Cavs are now battling for sixth place alongside the Orlando Magic (23-19), Miami Heat (22-21) and Chicago Bulls (20-22), waiting for a turnaround. The hope is that the trade deadline can bring the right reinforcements to reignite a team that, so far, has struggled to rediscover the path to winning.