Time is ticking for the Cleveland Cavaliers to make their case for the NBA playoffs. Amid their most disappointing stretch of the season, the Cavs have a plethora of questions left to answer.
While injuries have derailed much of Cleveland's season, they cannot use these as excuses to underperform in the playoffs again. Another exit in the first round will raise serious questions about the long-term abilities of this squad. This regular season has been tremendous, as the Cavaliers have overcome countless injuries and proven looming doubts wrong time after time. With head coach J.B. Bickerstaff's mid-season evolution as an offensive strategist, the Cavs have every tool at their disposal needed to set a new standar of excellence in Cleveland.
The true test starts now with few games left before the playoffs begin. There is not a single team in the Eastern Conference playoff picture who will take a night off against anybody once it begins. Over last summer, the Cavaliers made necessary improvements and look ready for a major leap. Despite their recent slide, Cleveland is poised to make noise and win in the playoffs.
Before they get there, ever Cavalier has something more to prove. From top to bottom, the Cleveland fanbase and outside onlookers will want to see what they can bring to the table when it matters the most.
Will Donovan Mitchell elevate his teammates?
Looking at Donovan Mitchell's season, the question for Cleveland's best player is not about his ability to score, pass or show intensity. He has had another defining season, topping his tremendous work last year. But, can Mitchell elevate his teammates to this same level in the playoffs?
The world knows what elite talent Mitchell can display, but he as yet to overcome the second round of the postseason. If he cannot carry the offense, he has had trouble consistently finding ways to rely on his teammates. WIth the Utah Jazz, their star power was severely hampered by Rudy Gobert's repeated playoff mishaps. The Cavaliers, though, have two elite big men who can thrive alongside Mitchell. The question for him is whether or not he can motivate his teammates and unlock the best version of them.
Can Darius Garland handle the playoffs?
In the last two seasons, Darius Garland has flamed out after game 82. When Garland was the captain of the crew in the 2022 Play-In Tournament, the All-Star shooting, distributing and mentality vanished. The 2023 playoffs threw Garland for a loop. Can the Cavaliers depend on Garland when it matters most?
The greatest moments of Darius Garland are truly special. When he skips away after draining a dazzling three-pointers, every viewer can easily recognize the legendary talent Garland possesses. Unfortunately, his best moments rarely come when something real is on the line. Garland was young in the 2022 Play-In, but at 24-years-old, Garland has the experience and talent to make it happen. This playoff series will be critical in DG defining his career as a playoff performer. Otherwise, the narrative and overall perception of a mesmerizing guard could be squandered.
How confident can Evan Mobley be on offense?
If there is any single compliment that Evan Mobley has earned this season, it is that he always comes back from injury ready to play. He does not need a ramp-up period to make an impact again. The Cavaliers will need an aggressive, willing scorer in Mobley to make a playoff push. If he is shoved around on the boards and looks nervous to shoot an open jumper again, Cleveland will fight an uphill battle every game.
In his the season, the young forward has accomplished remarkable feats and is steadily improving as a playmaker and scorer despite frustrating injuries. Mobley's question is somewhat related to Donovan Mitchell's question. If Mitchell can continue to take on the leader role he has in Cleveland, then Mobley will be able to realize his capabilities in the playoffs. His mid-range jump shot is not going to be defining Mobley this year, but the Cavs have to be able to trust him to extend his game to the perimeter in the postseason and not just a few regular season match ups.
Will Max Strus stay hot?
Every shooter has highs and lows throughout an 82-game season. The Cavaliers need Max Strus to be at his best for the coming 16-game season. While Strus' willingness to shoot at volume even on an off night forces defenses to guard the perimeter every game, Cleveland needs a steady lift on offense from Strus to make it to the next round.
Max Strus has contributed at a much higher level this year than the Cavs likely expected when they signed him. Strus did not have a reputation as a passer or hustling rebounder, but he has made a unique impression in every aspect for Cleveland. His defense has also been worthwhile, forcing opponents into tough shots and working to only allow his match up to get past him if he is in position to lead them right into the towering Mobley and Jarrett Allen. These areas of Max's game have been reliable throughout the year, leaving his shooting to be the only major question.
Is Jarrett Allen able to play physical enough?
There is not too much to ask about Jarrett Allen in the final stretch of a career year. His efforts and tone setting for the Cavaliers this season is nothing short of invaluable. Allen's impact has only been eclipsed by Mitchell, though Donovan may be the first one to say that he would have not been able to do it without the Fro behind him.
The question remains, then, can Jarrett Allen handle the physicality of the NBA playoffs? The New York loss still stings. While Allen acknowledges and laughs at his bright lights comment, nothing he does in the regular season will matter if the playoffs are too tough for him again. Allen knows this and seems prepared, but the question will not be answered until the moment arrives.
What version of Caris LeVert will show up?
The Cavaliers need bench production in the playoffs, and Caris LeVert has undoubtedly been their best bench contributor this season. His scoring has always been his best attribute, but his improvements in defense and passing have been welcome surprises. As with most players, LeVert can go cold quick and suddenly. Entering the playoffs, the Cavaliers will have to ask themselves how to manage a cold spell for LeVert in the middle of a series. Their improved depth will surely help, but they will need to recognize and adapt quickly if LeVert has an untimely dip.
Can Isaac Okoro demand defensive attention?
Isaac Okoro made the biggest improvement of any Cleveland Cavalier this season, developing a reliable and trustworthy three-point shot. With a 39.5 catch-and-shoot percentage this year, Okoro is finally punishing lazy defensive schemes. The defensive phenom's lacking offense allowed teams to sag off of him and suffocate drives all last season, but he is beginning to command defensive attention. Will Okoro be able to punish poor defense enough in the playoffs to space the floor in a full series?
Is Sam Merrill able to provide playoff defense?
On the opposite end of the court, the Cavaliers know Sam Merrill can be a flamethrower from deep in a hurry, but can they rely on him to play real defense in the playoffs? Merrill has fallen in and out of the NBA for his heavily-specialized skillset. Granted, his three-point shooting skill is the most coveted talent for a wing role player in the modern league, but the postseason demands two-way production. Cleveland does not need All-Defense skill from Merrill, but they need to trust that his three-pointer on one end will not be defeated by allowing an opponent to blow past him without a problem on the other side.
Will Dean Wade be healthy?
In short, the Cleveland Cavaliers need a healthy Dean Wade to win a playoff series. His elite wing defense and lethal shooting will be a necessity for the Cavs to do anything. As much as star players win big for their team, the best squads have to find impact guys off the bench. At his best, Wade is just as good as any other 3-and-D guy in the NBA. As he continues to rehab from a knee sprain, the Cavaliers have to hope that Wade is healthy for the playoffs after entering the postseason injured last year.
Can Georges Niang keep it up in the playoffs?
Cleveland knew they need veteran presence in the locker room along with floor spacing. Alongside Strus, Georges Niang was signed to the Cavs for this very purpose. While Niang had a long early shooting slump as he adjusted to the team, he is likely the most dependable shooter off the bench night-to-night. Will Niang keep up his shooting and defense in the postseaon? While the former Utah Jazz teammate of Mitchell's has carved out a career with his deadeye shooting, his defense has pushed him out of lineups in the postseason. He has been better defensively under Bickerstaff, but will he sustain it going forward?
Will anybody else crack the rotation?
Tristan Thomson, Craig Porter, Jr. and Damian Jones have all given the Cavaliers needed help over so many stretches without a healthy lineup. Ty Jerome has missed nearly the entire season after a major ankle sprain in two games. In the playoffs, teams shorten their rotations as much as they can. The remaining Cavaliers, including Marcus Morris, Sr. if he signs a standard contract, will likely only see minutes in specialized lineups or garbage time. Hopefully, any garbage time minutes are in the final moments of a win. Thompson and Morris are ready enforcers, willing to scrap and endure some hits to set the tone. Porter has tremendous rim pressure for a rookie guard and can play tough defense. If the Cavs need extra playmaking and crafty scoring, Porter will see some time.
As for Jones, the path to playoff minutes is less clear. With Allen, Mobley and Thompson ahead of him in the center rotation, Jones is unlikely to make the cut outside of garbage time. Still, Jones' work over the regular season improved with time and will be appreciated nonetheless.
The playoffs are dangerously close, and the Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot to prove this year. Their postseason success could have major implications for their summer moves, from plans with Donovan Mitchell to Isaac Okoro. Only time will tell. The Cavs are undeniably in a better position to succeed than last season, but maybe's and probabilities are not guaranteed.