NBA Notes: Cavs, Donovan Mitchell, Nuggets, Peyton Watson, Lakers

Cavaliers

The Cavaliers head to Atlanta on Black Friday in an effort to grab back some momentum after Tuesday’s loss to Toronto.

It’s also their final NBA Cup group game, and the path is narrow.

They need to beat the Hawks, hope the Magic take down the Pistons, and then hope the Bucks handle the Knicks. Not impossible. Just not simple.

Cleveland hasn’t hit the stride it wanted through the first quarter of the season. They’re sitting fifth in the East and sitting in the middle of the pack in net rating and offensive rating.

The constant has been Donovan Mitchell, who’s averaging 29.9 points and 5.5 assists in 17 games and carrying the offense most nights.

Atlanta is in a similar spot. They’re without Trae Young but still trending upward, winners of seven of their past 10 before a letdown loss to the Wizards.

These two met earlier in the year, and Cleveland took that one on November 2.

Nuggets

Peyton Watson didn’t reach a rookie extension with Denver, but he’s going to get every chance to make himself some money in restricted free agency, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

With Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun out for weeks, Watson has stepped into the starting lineup and produced.

He’s averaging 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in his six starts, including career-best scoring nights of 32 and 27 in wins over New Orleans and Memphis.

He’s also shooting 40% from deep, which might be the swing skill that gets him the contract he’s after.

Lakers

The Lakers are somehow 13-4 … and also dead last in made threes and 26th in three-point percentage. LeBron James’ reaction? Don’t react.

“It won’t last,” he said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin after the Lakers shot 10-for-38 in Utah. “We’re not worried about it. We got too many good shooters.”

Coach JJ Redick echoed it, reminding everyone that last season the Lakers started slow from deep too before finishing middle of the pack.

Sometimes the fix is no fix at all.