After a long ten months that included injuries, scrutiny, trades, inconsistencies, and dominance, the Cleveland Cavaliers are back in the NBA playoffs.
Cleveland’s quest for postseason retribution will begin against the pesky Toronto Raptors on Saturday at Rocket Arena. The Cavs believe that this roster is better built for the playoffs than in years past, mainly because of the acquisition of James Harden.
Game One of the playoffs is also expected to be the first time this season Cleveland will have its full rotation. The Cavs have not been able to see what their full team could look like all season, but the good news is that head coach Kenny Atkinson has options when it comes to his rotation.
This is what the Cavaliers playoff rotation should be against the Raptors and beyond.
Starters: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Harden, Mitchell, Mobley, and Allen are obvious locks. They are the Cavs’ four best players and while the sample size is small, this is a dominant quartet. Mobley and Allen especially finished the season very strong, which is exciting for Cleveland, and Harden and Mitchell have been a huge reason why the Cavs are one of the strongest clutch units in the league over the last month. Having one of them on the floor for 48 minutes is a huge plus for Cleveland.
The fifth spot is where things get interesting, something that Atkinson has admitted. However, Wade feels like the sound choice. His defensive versatility will be needed in this series and his ability to rebound as well. He is an amazing fit next to Mobley and Allen, as those three give Cleveland an elite-level defense. Yes, Wade can struggle offensively at times, but the Cavs are going to need his defense throughout this series and playoff run.
Bench: Sam Merrill, Max Strus, Keon Ellis, Jaylon Tyson
Atkinson has said he wants to get to nine for his rotation. These are the best four options for him against the Raptors and for the playoff run.
Merrill and Strus do so much of the dirty work defensively, while providing elite-level floor-spacing next to Mitchell and Harden. Their constant movement off the ball keeps defenses honest. Ellis has been good defensively and his offense has been a lot more encouraging than initially thought. He makes the winning plays that Cleveland has lacked in the playoffs in recent years and they are going to need that.
The last spot goes to Tyson, who has had his role change many times throughout the season, but the Cavs are going to need him this spring. He gives them much-needed positional size at the three spot and a complete offensive game that fits with any lineup Atkinson puts out there. His ability to operate pick-and-roll with Mitchell as well is an added bonus for Cleveland’s offense.
This is the most crucial playoff run for the Cavs in the Mitchell era. The time is now to advance deep into the postseason and they have the personnel to do so. It will be on Atkinson to push the right buttons.
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