The Cleveland Cavaliers are
aiming to make noise in the NBA playoffs behind superstar Donovan
Mitchell, but they have also impressed without him in the
lineup.
Mitchell is dealing with a knee
injury, which has caused him to miss Cleveland’s last six games. In
this span, the team has won three games against the Detroit
Pistons, Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves. Taking down the
Celtics and Timberwolves is no small task, as both sit near the top
of their respective conference. Due to these wins, the Cavaliers
are currently the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference (and just a
half game back of the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 2
seed).
Friday’s overtime victory
against Minnesota came thanks to tremendous outings from guard
Darius Garland and center Jarrett Allen. Garland tallied 34 points
and 8 assists on 13-of-26 shooting, while Allen recorded 33 points,
18 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks on 47.4% shooting. It’s
important to note that the Cavs were also missing key contributors
Max Strus and Evan Mobley in this matchup. This game further pushes
the agenda that the Cavaliers’ greatest weakness is
health.
Meanwhile, the win over Boston
stemmed from a miraculous fourth quarter from forward Dean Wade.
The 27-year-old exploded in the final 12 minutes, scoring 20 points
on 7-of-7 shooting to push the Cavs to a one-point victory. Social
media even began comparing the Cavs forward to Miami Heat legend
and Hall-of-Famer Dwyane Wade through the nickname ‘D-Wade.’ It’s
becoming crystal clear that the organization has the depth to
compete regardless of the adversity its faced.
There’s no doubt that Mitchell
is the leader of the team, but Cleveland’s starting lineup as a
whole can contend regardless. The five-time All-Star is averaging
28 points, 6.2 assists (career-high) and 5.4 rebounds (career-high)
on 47.2% shooting in 47 appearances.
Mitchell is accustomed to his
role as a No. 1 option from his time on the Utah Jazz alongside
former Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. The Jazz would
often find themselves as a prominent seed when the postseason came
around but lacked the depth and talent to reach the NBA
Finals.
The Celtics, Bucks and New York
Knicks highlight the East’s championship contenders, and Cleveland
has defeated all three teams this season. In a seven-game series
against a top contender, Mitchell will be heavily relied on but
he’ll also have plenty of help thanks to the Cavs’
depth.
In Cleveland, Mitchell finds
himself in a situation where he can rely on his teammates to uphold
a certain standard when he is struggling or unable to
perform.
