During last year’s regular season, Donovan Mitchell picked up two technical fouls. One came after Joel Embiid taunted him after a block, and Mitchell got up off the deck and shoved him in retaliation. The second came after Marquese Chriss bodychecked Ricky Rubio, with Mitchell coming in to the scrum to stand up for his teammate.
2018-19′s first technical wasn’t from a physical confrontation, though, but from sheer frustration. Midway through the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies, Mitchell drove to the rim and lost control of the ball.
It may have been a foul, as Shelvin Mack’s arm collided into Mitchell’s, but it’s the kind of play where you often don’t see a whistle blown: Mitchell was driving into traffic without a real plan, and was punished for it.