According to multiple reports, the Cleveland Cavaliers offense looked fantastic through nine games of the 2024-25 regular season. Cleveland leads the league in points per game (123.2), field goals made per game (46.8) and field goal percentage (52.6 percent), while also leading the league in 3-point percentage (42nd). .1 percent) took second place.

But if there’s one aspect of the offensive team where the Cavaliers have room for improvement, it might be the frequency with which they hit the charity stripe. Only four teams in the league average fewer free throws per game than the Cavaliers (19.6), and in their last game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Cavs only made 13 free throws.

Donovan Mitchell – who accounted for nearly half of his team’s free throw attempts against the Pelicans with six – used the word “inconsistent” to describe the performance against the Cavaliers this season.

Donovan Mitchell talks about the free throw disparity after the game: pic.twitter.com/plNUD3EIB6

— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) November 7, 2024

“Another thing is we push basketball,” Mitchell said. “We’re second in the league in drives per game, and we don’t get fouls, you know? I think – I was silent about it for a long time. I almost lost my mind tonight. DG (Darius Garland) had no free throws tonight. At the end of the game I had six.

“The fact that we can drive – and be the team we are – and not get any fouls is crazy to me.” The referee was so inconsistent, especially against us. …And that doesn’t even just apply to myself, but to the collective. Evan Mobley goes down on an alley-oop, almost twists his ankle, (and) there’s no foul. (If) Evan twists his ankle, he’s out.

“Do you know what I’m saying? There’s no consistency, but still we play against teams and guys go out and commit tick tock fouls. We’re playing the (Los Angeles) Lakers, it’s 33-8. Tonight I don’t even know when the first foul was in the second half. So to me it’s like at some point we need some consistency on our side.

“…It’s getting out of control. It’s getting crazy, you know what I mean? I think this is something that really needs to be tightened up because – I mean, I’ll probably get fined for this, but it’s outrageous.”

Even though the Pelicans made 15 more free throws than the Cavaliers, Cleveland still prevailed by nine points and improved to 9-0. The Cavaliers are now off to their best undefeated start to a season in franchise history.

Mitchell also managed to score a big goal against New Orleans. He was the only member of the Cavaliers to score more than 20 points on Wednesday, as he scored a team-high 29 on 10 of 20 shooting from the field and 3 of 9 shooting from long range.

In his third season with the Cavaliers, the former University of Louisville star is averaging 23.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He’s performing despite averaging just 3.6 free throw attempts per game, a career low, and he hasn’t taken more than seven shots from the charity stripe in any of Cleveland’s nine contests.

To put this into perspective, a season ago he shot 5.8 times from the line per game.

Mitchell will look to get to the free throw line more regularly in the Cavaliers’ upcoming game against the Golden State Warriors on Friday. The Warriors just picked up a win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.