Cavs' Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley earn honors for February

The Cavaliers were almost perfect in the month of February. The NBA has recognized two of the reasons why. Guard Donovan Mitchell was honored as Eastern Conference Player of the Month on Tuesday and forward Evan Mobley was named Defensive Player of the Month. Cleveland tore through its schedule in February with an NBA-best 10-1 record, with its only blemish a 112-105 loss to Boston on Feb. 4. The Cavs, who were 50-10 heading into the Chicago game on Tuesday, are off to their best 60-game start in franchise history, which is tied for 10th-best in NBA history. This marks the third time Mitchell has been named player of the month (December 2021 and January 2024) and second time as a member of the Cavs. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder averaged a team-high 25.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists in the month. Among players in the East, Mitchell ranked third in plus/minus (plus-127), sixth in points per game (25.8), 10th in total 3-pointers made (32) and 14th in assists per game (5.3). He also scored at least 20 points in eight of 10 games, including 30 or more points four times and a season-high 41 points during Cleveland's come-from-behind win at Boston on Feb. 28. The six-time All-Star is averaging a team-high 24.3 points (15th-best in NBA), 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.34 steals (24th in NBA) and is shooting .395 from 3-point range. Mitchell has become the first Cavs player to record multiple seasons with at least 200 or more 3-pointers made. He currently has made 202 3-pointers, ranking sixth in the NBA. Former Cavs star LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers was Player of the Month in the West. Mobley, a 7-foot, 215-pounder, has won the coveted defensive award for the second time this season, with the other coming in December. He helped the Cavs to the No. 1 defensive rating in the East at 108.0, along with first in opponent's field-goal percentage (.429), second in opponent's 3-point percentage (.323) and fourth in opponent's points per game (108.2). Cleveland had the best points per game differential in the NBA at +17.8. The first-time All-Star averaged a double-double in February with 20.4 points and 10.1 rebounds and also averaged 3.8 assists and 2.27 blocks and shot .566 from the field. The fourth-year pro was the NBA's only player to average at least 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks (minimum 7 games played) in February. Mobley led the East in plus/minus (plus-153), and his 25 blocks were tied for the most in the conference. Additionally, he ranked second in blocks per game (2.27), tied for third in double-doubles (six) and fifth in rebounds per game (10.1). Throughout the month, Mobley contested 11.4 shots per game, which ranked third in the East, and recorded seven multi-block games (tied for 2nd in the East), five games with three blocks or more (most in the East), and three outings with at least four blocks (tied for most in the NBA). In 54 games (all starts) this season, Mobley is averaging a career-high 18.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.83 steals and 1.57 blocks. He's also shooting .567 from the field. Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara earned Defensive West Player of the Month. Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.