There are few things guaranteed in this world, and the NBA Playoffs are no exception to that. With two rosters that made minimal changes at the trade deadline like the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, though, the 82-game regular season offers reasonable expectations for the upcoming first round series.
After recapping the best moments from this season, in this article we look at those near guarantees and possible surprises in an attempt either to predict the upcoming entertainment or discredit any future predictions I offer. Let’s begin.
Surefire event No. 1: Mitchell vs. Brunson Clash of the Titans
Donovan Mitchell has been no stranger to going blow for blow against terrific score-first guards in the NBA Playoffs. Nobody can forget the Jamal Murray vs. Donovan Mitchell showdown in the 2020 NBA Bubble. In fact, in that series Donovan Mitchell recorded his first two 50-point outings in the playoffs.
In last year’s postseason, Mitchell faced off against a dynamic backcourt duo of Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson himself. Similarly to the Denver series, Mitchell shouldered Utah’s offense with an absolute spectacle of scoring prowess. Unfortunately, in both series, the Jazz fell short. As expected, Doncic gave nothing short of a masterful performance as well, and the series served as the pinnacle of Brunson’s breakout into stardom that season.
There is no doubt that this year will continue the saga of Mitchell’s instant classic guard battles. Tensions will be high between Mitchell and Brunson as they both look to prove themselves as leaders on a completely new team. If this holds true, the series may prove to be a starting point of a rivalry between the two elite talents.
Although the series is sure to give its fair share of bucket for bucket highlights, Mitchell’s chances to come out on top have never been better. With Darius Garland by his side now as a steady co-pilot, Mitchell will likely not need to carry the backcourt scoring as heavily. Secondly, Mitchell is now playing with two dynamic big men, and the world already saw how well he could match up with one early in his career.
Surprise No. 1: A short series
Over the regular season, the Knicks won three of the four contests between Cleveland and New York. Each game was a battle, and the teams seem fairly well matched against one another to make for a tough playoff series.
Although it is likely to be a grueling fight to four wins for either team, the playoffs are an entirely different beast than the regular season. Neither team has a vetted group of NBA Finals contenders or constant postseason runs. If one team comes vastly more mentally prepared and hungry for the win, the series may end before anybody has the chance to realize it.
As mentioned before, both team’s primary scoring option came to the team this past offseason, so there is no precedence for their cohesion in the postseason.
In Jalen Brunson’s case, he has only played in the postseason once before and was not the primary scoring option.
For Donovan Mitchell, he has always served as the sole consistent shot creator and has struggled to defend well over a full series.
It will come down to the team around both players and the coaching staffs to overcome the other. If momentum quickly swings toward one team without a quick response from the other, we may have an answer speedily.
Surefire event No. 2: LOTS of pick-and-rolls
They say that Rock and Roll never dies, and in the NBA, neither do pick-and-roll actions. Per Synergy Sports, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson scored the fifth and seventh-most pick-and-roll points throughout the regular season, respectively. Darius Garland finished 11th, and Evan Mobley had the seventh-most points as the pick-and-roll roll man, according to Synergy.
It’s fair to speculate, then, that fans will suffer no shortage of PnR play calling in these games. While both teams are happy to run Iso plays and make the extra pass to an open shooter, the tried and true methods that secured them their playoff appearance will not be forgotten.
Surprise No. 2: Danny Green Takeover
The aforementioned lack of postseason experience is not relevant to Cleveland’s three-time NBA champion Danny Green. Green has not been a non-factor in his endeavors, either; he has solidified himself as a critical role player for contending rosters.
In a league where 3-and-D wings are coveted beyond imagination, making the most of those players can determine how high a team’s ceiling reaches. New York’s trade deadline acquisition of Josh Hart gave them a steady three-point threat, while the Cavaliers continued to struggle to find the same all year.
Coming off of a season-ending injury, Danny Green only played in 22 games this year, eight of which have been with the Cavaliers. While he has not had a lot of run time thus far, Green’s longtime experience may spark once the pressure is on. If the Cavs need extra support from the bench for whatever reason, Danny Green might just be that guy.
Surefire event No. 3: All-Time High Intensity (On the court and on Twitter)
It will not take long for one to be reminded of how long it has been since either of these teams have found major success (success without LeBron for Cleveland). For that reason, both the teams and the fan bases will be nothing short of fired up beyond measure.
These rosters are young and hungry to make a name for themselves. As the NBA looks for the next all-time greats as the LeBron’s and Curry’s of the world are nearing retirement (at least we think), each of the 10 players on the court at all times will be looking to put their name in the history books.
The fan bases will be looking to remind the other of those history book moments as well. With Donovan Mitchell’s long running connections to the Knicks after every Jazz trade rumor emerged, his eventual landing in Cleveland will be cause for heated debate after each and every game. The Knicks fan and ESPN host that needs no introduction Stephen A. Smith believes it would be devastating if Donovan Mitchell sends the Knicks packing in the first round.
While the world watches Mitchell vs. Brunson, rising stars Evan Mobley and Darius Garland will have their opportunities to establish their reputations as playoff performers. For Julius Randle, this year offers redemption from a slump last year, if he is able to near full-strength and recovered, regarding his ankle injury, in that case. This series is nothing short of career defining for the organizations and many players, generally, though.
From the first tipoff to the final buzzer, each moment will be critical. The outcome of this series could very well change the trajectory of either organization in the offseason seemingly.
Players may change teams, Twitter account block lists will grow exponentially, and the NBA will have an unforgettable matchup.