Now that the playoffs are here, NBA coaches are going to pull out all the stops to give themselves any advantage they can with their seasons on the line. The Cleveland Cavaliers will need to develop strategies and gameplans not only to highlight their strengths, but also to exploit Orlando’s weaknesses. The Orlando Magic will no doubt be doing the same, and the Cavaliers need to be much more prepared this postseason to tackle any type of game that comes their way.
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff will certainly be on the hot seat for this playoff series, and the Cavaliers front office will be watching these games closely to make a decision on his future. After last season’s embarrassing playoff loss to the New York Knicks in five games, Bickerstaff desperately needs to win more than just a playoff series but have a deep run where the Cavaliers look like an actual threat to the Eastern Conference. J.B. needs to train the Cavaliers to be much more prepared this postseason as Cavs fans everywhere have high hopes of seeing a tougher and more locked in team this time around.
This playoff series against the Orlando Magic could have a monumental impact on the team’s future. Donovan Mitchell’s contract is eligible for a maximum extension this summer, and his free agency decision looms over the franchise. Losing Mitchell would be a huge blow to this team’s chances of winning a championship in the near future. The Cavaliers are in dire need of a strong postseason to prove to Mitchell that this is a franchise he can trust to put him in the best position for success.
Let’s take a look at the four keys for the Cavaliers to win their first-round matchup against the Magic.
Cleveland needs to protect the paint
The Orlando Magic leads the entire NBA in free throw attempts per game at 24.4. Meanwhile, they are last in the league in three-pointers made per game at 11, while shooting only 31.3 percent from the arc. The Cavaliers need to force the Magic to shoot more from deep than they feel comfortable doing, cutting off drives to the paint with physical and unrelenting defense.
With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner being their two leading scorers, the Magic like to get their points inside and around the basket. The Cleveland Cavaliers frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will need to do their best to keep the Magic out of the paint and away from the free throw line. The more often that the Cavs deny easy interior baskets, the less confidence the Magic can build throughout the game.
If the Cavaliers are able to force the Magic to take more shots from the outside, they can greatly improve their chances of success. To capitalize on solid defense, though, Cleveland must protect the ball in their offensive sets.
The Cavaliers must limit turnovers
The Orlando Magic are one of the top defenses in the NBA, and something they do very well is create turnovers. The Magic are third in the NBA in opponent turnovers per game at 14.4. The Cavs have been known to get too loose with the ball, specifically when defenses raise the intensity. Cleveland averaged the fourteenth most turnovers per game (13.6) this season and struggled to find fluidity in their passing throughout the final stretch of the regular season. If Cleveland hopes to maximize their offense, rushed or telegraphed passes are unacceptable.
Last postseason, the Cavaliers led the NBA in turnovers per game in their short sample of five games. The Cavaliers and point guard Darius Garland will have to make sure that they take care of the ball and limit turnovers, or this series could slip away from them. There is no excuse any longer for an inefficient or redundant offense in the playoffs. The Cavaliers have the tools at their disposal to evolve their offensive game, and their first round against the Magic poses the perfect opportunity to reform their identity across the league.
Darius Garland’s Offensive Production must improve
Everyone knows that the Cavaliers offense and championship aspirations run through Donovan Mitchell. He is the leader and the star everyone will be watching closely when it is time for playoff basketball. Still, it is Darius Garland who has the power and potential to take this team over the top in this first round matchup.
It is easy for teams to key in one star player, and if you do not have a strong second option, it can become really difficult to put up points in a playoff series. Darius has been very volatile this season with some great games and some bad games, but he seems to be steadying in his play at the end of the season. Garland averaged 17.9 points and 7.2 assists per game post All-Star break, and shot 39.8% from three point range. The points are down, but he still has the ability to create offense at an All-Star level when he is right.
Jalen Suggs is one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders and will likely be assigned to guard Donovan Mitchell. If Darius Garland can take advantage of being guarded by the weaker defender, the Cavaliers may be able to score at a pace that Orlando cannot keep up with. Garland’s offense will be one of Cleveland’s X factors. The Cavaliers have more offensive talent by a good margin than the Magic, and a big series from Garland could have Cleveland running away with this series.
Finding the Right Rotations will be key to Cleveland's success
The Cavaliers have a deep bench, and it is on Bickerstaff to find the right rotations in this first round matchup. Last postseason, the Cavaliers were hurt by their lack of shooting, putting Okoro, Mobley and Allen on the court together too often.
The Knicks exploited these interior-focused lineups and crammed the paint making it difficult for Garland and Mitchell to create. Bickerstaff will need to find the right balance of shooting, creation, and defense in his lineups. The Cavs have enough depth that they should always be able to play a strong lineup.
This season, out of lineups that played at least 100 minutes together, the best group was Caris LeVert, George Niang, Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro and Mobley with a net rating of 23.1. Notably Donovan is not in this lineup, but that could be largely due to this group being played against second units. The second-strongest group was Mitchell, Allen, Max Strus, Dean Wade and Okoro with a net rating of 19.6.
Interestingly, both groups do not have Mobley and Allen together and do not have Mitchell and Garland together. Garland and Mitchell will have to play a lot together as the two best offensive players, but there may be something significant to splitting up Mobley and Allen on the court. Another thing to note is Okoro is in both lineups. Okoro is one of the Cavaliers best perimeter defenders and shot 39.1% from three-point range this season.
If Bickerstaff hopes to revert his growingly negative public perception, all eyes will be on his rotation decisions and whether or not he trusts in proven lineup compositions.
If the Cleveland Cavaliers are able to execute these four keys, they should be able to beat the Magic and advance to the next round. Winning a playoff series would mean a lot to this franchise and could have big implications for Donovan Mitchell and J.B Bickerstaff’s futures with the team. The first game takes place on Saturday, April 20 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 1:00pm Eastern Time.