Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell caps huge January with fifth straight All-Star nod, Eastern Conference player of month award

Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is an All-Star once again. Mitchell was selected as a reserve for this year's game, it was announced Thursday. The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will be Sunday, Feb. 18, at 8 p.m. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. "You can't speak on how important he's been to us," Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said on Bally Sports Ohio. "It's difficult to put into words. To have a superstar talent and person, he's helped us go to another level." Mitchell will be making his fifth consecutive appearance in the All-Star Game and second with the Cavs. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder becomes just the ninth player in franchise history to be selected to the All-Star Game on more than one occasion. The others were LeBron James (10 times), Brad Daugherty (five), Kyrie Irving (four), Mark Price (four), Terrell Brandon (two), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (two), John Johnson (two) and Larry Nance Sr. (two). The voting for reserves was done by NBA head coaches for their respective conferences. Cavs center Jarrett Allen, who recorded his 16th consecutive double-double against Detroit on Wednesday, was a notable snub for the All-Star Game — for now. He still has a chance to be added to the team if one of the other players misses the game with an injury. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers were also chosen as reserves, as were Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves. Stephen Curry was selected for the 10th time, while the Lakers' Anthony Davis and Devin Booker of Phoenix rounded out the West reserves. Jalen Brunson was selected for the first time and was joined by teammate Julius Randle from the Knicks, who went 14-2 in January. The East had two other first-time selections in Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey and Orlando's Paolo Banchero with Boston's Jaylen Brown and Miami's Bam Adebayo completing the squad. Mitchell is averaging 28.2 points (seventh-best in the NBA), a career-high 5.5 rebounds, a career-high 6.4 assists (18th in NBA) and a career-high 1.92 steals (second in NBA) in 36 games. The seventh-year guard is one of just two players averaging at least 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 1.5 steals this season. Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the other. Mitchell, who was named the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January earlier Thursday, has also scored 20 points or more in 33 of his 36 games, as well as 30 or more 15 times and 40 or more four times. Mitchell earned Player of the Month honors for the second time in his career, also getting the honor in December 2021 while playing for Utah. He joins James (26 times) as the second player in Cavs history to win the monthly honor and the first since March and April 2018. In January, Mitchell led the Cavs to an 11-2 record while averaging 28.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 2.08 steals. He also posted three double-doubles, his most in one month in his career. Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker won Player of the Month honors for the West. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.