Donovan Mitchell talks about his showdown with Jamal Murray in the Bubble: "57 is cool, but we lost"

Despite playing in only seven seasons in the NBA, Donovan Mitchell has already established himself as one of the league's most lethal scorers, capable of dissecting defenses with his explosive speed, nuclear athleticism, and deadly shooting. However, one of the most memorable performances of Mitchell's young career came during the 2020 NBA Bubble playoffs when he went head-to-head against Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray .

In a highly anticipated matchup between two rising stars, Mitchell and Murray put on a scoring showcase for the ages in Game 1. Both players were trading buckets back and forth, seemingly unable to miss as they pushed their teams toward victory. Ultimately, Murray emerged victorious, dropping 36 points in a thrilling overtime win over the Utah Jazz.

Looking back on his impressive 57-point explosion, Mitchell remembers that game for the respect he earned from his peers and, of course, the loss.

He earned the respect of his fellow NBA players

While it is noteworthy to gain the respect of fans, it is even more special to earn the respect of your fellow NBA players. After his incredible performance against the Nuggets, the 6'3" guard received praise from some of the league's biggest names, who were all inside the "Orlando Bubble"—the setting for the NBA restart during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"You don't think of it in the moment. You're not thinking about it. I think it was cool. I think you said it—it was like you got the respect of everybody because, like, you would go out and do your thing. But then, like, coming back to your peers—it's different," the New York native said in an episode of "7 PM in Brooklyn."

"It ain't coming back to your fans, you know what I'm saying? Your fans are going to love you 90% of the time. But when you've got your peers being like, 'Alright, I got Melo talking about it.' That was when I was really starting to learn, like, 'I really belong here,'" "Spida" added.

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An unforgettable showdown

Game 1 was merely an appetizer for the thrilling games that followed in that series. In Game 4, Donovan scored 51 points in a 129-127 victory before scoring 44 in a Game 6 loss. Unfortunately for Mitchell and the Jazz, he couldn't get going in Game 7, scoring only 22 points and committing nine turnovers in an 80-78 loss that eliminated them from the playoffs.

Showing the intensity emanating from born winners, "Spida" couldn't care less about his point total; his focus was on winning no matter what.

"57 is cool, but we lost—boom, onto the next one. And then, on top of that, I'm seeing Jamal at the cafeteria afterward, and he recorded me, so I'm not really thinking, 'Yo, this is really setting the world on fire right now.' I'm like, 'Man, f*** him,' you know what I'm saying? So, um, it was real beef," Donovan stated.

Now about to play in his third year for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Louisville product hopes to elevate his game and a Cavs squad with All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen to new heights in the Eastern Conference.

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