3 reasons why the Cavaliers won’t go far in the playoffs

Reason No. 2: Clutch time failures

Nobody who pays attention to the NBA can deny Donovan Mitchell’s clutch gene. He has it. In the final seconds of a game, whether you need a half-court shot or a jaw-dropping dunk, Donovan Mitchell is your man.

The rest of the Cavaliers’ roster, however, often cannot meet those same expectations.

A substantial part of this setback originates from a lack of true depth on the roster. Cleveland’s best players typically are exhausted by the time the final shot clock nears. If the Cavaliers can sign the right free agent this summer, they can begin to distribute minutes more equally. Until then, the Cavs continue to find themselves gassed in close matches, and those will only become more common in the postseason.

Earlier this season when Mitchell was out with injury, we saw Darius Garland drop 51 points in a loss to Minnesota. In order for Cleveland to take that next step, both Evan Mobley and Darius Garland need to become legitimate end-of-game threats.

Both of their shortcomings in close games can be rightfully attributed to their lack of experience, especially once they are in the NBA Playoffs. While this is an understandable barrier, it will still prove a hindrance until that experience is gained. Patience likely will pay off in Cleveland’s favor, but that has not come yet this year.