The Cleveland Cavaliers lost to underdog Indiana Pacers in the second round of the NBA playoffs, and their roster may not be built simply for playoff success.
Despite dominating the Eastern Conference last season and finishing with a 64-18 record, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost a two-round series to the Indiana Pacers in six games, but weren’t particularly close.
Between Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, DeAndre Hunter, Max Strath and Lonzo Ball, the Cavs boast one of the best rosters in the NBA.
Most of the time, they have brought everyone back since last season and there is no reason to believe they won’t finish in the first place.
As the Boston Celtics were poised to take a clear step, the Cavs and New York Knicks enjoyed a quiet offseason and improved their margins in the hopes of getting things to run.
However, there are concerns that both the Cavaliers and Knicks have come across the red-hot Pacers, and that the franchise hasn’t been built for the success of the playoffs either.
“I think they and New York are two of the best teams at the Eastern Conference,” said ESPN’s Insider Bobby Marks.
“But is there a big difference as long as you’re taking part in the regular season and the playoffs?”
Donovan Mitchell tended to be a better player in the postseason, averaging an astonishing 34.2 points per game in the final series of the season, but he never even had a meeting final.
Darius Garland and Mitchell are the score first guards for the Baldominant, even if Garland played a different role in recent seasons.
On the front court, the Cavaliers employ two Elite trim protectors, allowing Evan Mobley to put space on the floor, but he and Jarrett Allen are very similar players.
Rather than pairing up with Mitchell in the backcourt with Mobley and defensive masterminds, Cavs instead assembled the power of the star that works in the regular season, but not in the playoffs where there is no room for error.
“I don’t know if Garland and Mitchell, and Allen and Mobley are actually the right pair to become the championship team, so they have these high-level conversations about what to do,” Kevin O’Connor said.
There’s a reason why Mitchell and Mobley are less likely to trade than Garland and Allen. It’s difficult to blow up the roster after winning 64 games, but adding players to make the most of the star in complementary roles may be Cleveland’s best option.