It’s a fun time to be a Cleveland Cavaliers fan these days. Cleveland is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and this is a new iteration of the Wine and Gold that’s going to be on the big stage once again.
The Cavaliers will be facing off in the No. 4-No.5 matchup in the first round against the New York Knicks, and it’s going to be a heck of a matchup with plenty of star power. Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and company versus Jalen Brunson and potentially Julius Randle (if he can go) has the makings of a long, compelling series, and should be must see TV.
As it pertains to recent weeks, though, there’s still been plenty of intrigue surrounding the Cavs in the closing stretch of the regular season, and with that in mind, we’ll put the spotlight on some individual performers for Cleveland of late.
Here, let’s take a quick glance at Cavs players whose stocks are on the uptick, holding steady and falling heading into the playoffs.
First, there’s three Cavs that have been true standouts of late.
Stock Up: Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert
Mitchell has been terrific for the Cavaliers this season, and has given the team superstar-level play in his first year with the Wine and Gold.
Having said that, he’s been on quite the heater in recent weeks. In Mitchell’s past 10 appearances, he’s posted 31.7 points per game, in which he’s hit 37.6 percent of his three-point attempts. He also in his past four games played hit 40-plus points all four times, which is the first time that’s been done in the NBA since James Harden back in 2018-19.
Mitchell’s three-level scoring, driving prowess and big-time shot-making has been incredible heading into the postseason, and the team feeds off the energy he brings. Plus, he tacked on 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in that time.
As for the second Cav we mentioned above, Evan Mobley has continued his trend of great play. In Mobley’s past 10 games played, he’s averaged 18.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per outing, and shot 60.0 percent from the field. In that stretch, he led the team in total plus-minus at plus-79.
In several of those games, he played a bunch at the 5 with Jarrett Allen missing some time with injuries, but it’s nice to see Allen getting healthier of late. Either way, it’s been awesome to watch Mobley so comfortable on both ends of the floor, where his two-way play has been so impactful for the Cavaliers throughout games, and when needed, in crunch time, too.
What’s seemingly a bit lost in the fold has been his growth as a secondary playmaker for Cleveland as well. In that 10-game span we touched on, he had 4.0 assists per contest, to only 0.9 turnovers.
From there, another Cav really trending up recently has been Caris LeVert. LeVert has been making plays at both ends of the floor more as the season has progressed, and going into the postseason, he’s definitely been a difference-maker.
In his past 11 appearances, LeVert had 15.8 points per game on 54.5 percent shooting, and in that time, canned 52.5 percent of his three-point attempts. Along with that, he averaged 3.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds per contest in that stretch, and has led the Cavaliers in total steals with 19.
As he’s been settled in more as predominantly a bench contributor, LeVert has given the Cavs quite a lift, and it’s understandable that he and the team have been rumored to have mutual interest in him potentially being re-signed in the upcoming offseason.
Stock Steady: Darius Garland
Darius Garland has fallen off of late from an efficiency perspective, as he’s connected on only 42.0 percent of his shots and just 28.6 percent of his threes in his past 11 games. It’s been a bit strange to see recently as to why his deep looks have been off, as Garland routinely creates ample separation to hit those shots on-ball, and is never a player opponents can rotate off of.
That said, he’s still averaged 7.2 assists per game in that 11-game span, and he still has come up with some key baskets at times, en route to averaging 19.6 points in that stretch. Plus, he’s his average plus-minus in his 11 appearances has been plus-8.4.
Garland’s efficiency has to more along the lines of how he’s done for the vast majority of the seeason, in which he’s often been on-point as a multi-level scorer, in the playoffs. Him converting on 41.0 percent of his threes in the postseason might be a tall order, but either way, if he can knock down open looks at times when they come, that’d help get him rolling again.
However, what also has to be acknowledged is how Garland has continually gotten better as a primary playmaker, and decision-maker for Cleveland. He’s consistently been a crucial factor for getting Mitchell, Mobley, and LeVert, among others going with his deliveries.
Stock Down: Ricky Rubio
Regarding the Cavaliers player whose stock has clearly been trending downward, it’s Ricky Rubio perhaps more than anybody else.
Expectations had to be tempered from fans for Rubio this season, admittedly, given the over year-long injury recovery he had to undergo, and Rubio did not make his debut this season until mid-January versus the Portland Trail Blazers. Since, he’s played in 32 games, in which he’s averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 assists in 16.9 minutes per contest, and has connected on just 26.9 percent of his three-point attempts.
Rubio is still a player who typically makes good decisions in his playmaking minutes for the Cavaliers off the bench for stretches, and his vision will always lead to easy baskets for his teammates. One should never discount his defensive prowess, either.
The problem is, Rubio’s shot has simply been way off this season, and his offensive rating has been 108.8 among Cavs in their last 11 games, in which he’s played in 10. That’s the worst of regular rotational players over that time, and his net rating has been minus-3.4 over then, which has been a team-worst, too.
Rubio can still potentially help the Cavaliers in stretches in the playoffs, with his passing in mind, and he’s such an intelligent player.
But, his especially rough shooting woes have made his minutes difficult to watch in the past few weeks, and concern about his possible playoff outlook is reasonable.