Donovan Mitchell scored 19 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their latest assignment and shot 1 out o 9 from beyond the arc. He had his struggles in the game and Kenny Atkinson thinks it is because OKC Thunder gave him hell, specifically one player.
Lu Dort brought out his Dorture Chamber as Thunder manhandled the Cavs in their own home. Atkinson credits the 2025 All Defensive First Team member for making Mitchell’s life miserable.
Reporter: “Even going back to last year against the Thunder, Donovan [Mitchell] has struggled from the floor, he was 5-of-18 today, what makes it such a…”
Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson: “I mean Lu Dort is one of the best defenders in the league. He proved it again tonight.” https://t.co/psTrzgsmKq pic.twitter.com/qSNIAWw66U
— Cooper Jones (@CooperJNBA) January 20, 2026
Dort finished with game high +34 and also added 18 points while being the opponents’ main star’s primary defender.
The whole Cavs team were terrible on the field, shooting just 37 percent overall and 22.9 from the three-point line.
Kenny Atkinson praises Chet Holmgren
Thunder are known as a good defensive team and one of their anchors is Chet Holmgren. Atkinson pointed to the third year center’s commanding presence why they had a hard time on the hoop.
He even went out to say that he is number one in a certain category.
“We got to the rim 19 times in the 1st half and we couldn’t finish,” Atkinson told reporters.
“They got Chet Holmgren in there, he’s probably the No. 1 rim protector in the league and we didn’t kick it out.”
The loss puts Cavs at the play-in spot with a 24-20 record.
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