The Cleveland Cavaliers are up 2-0 in their first-round series vs. the Toronto Raptors. That was the expectation, given playoff seeding, the matchup, and the fact that the Raptors were missing Immanuel Quickley.
However, there are ways and ways to win, and the Cavs are dominating. More importantly, they look like a team that has finally channeled the inner mental fortitude to get the job done in the playoffs, even though the sample size is limited.
Notably, the bigger change has come off the court, and it may have to do with something Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic reported early in Februrary. At one point, the Cavs realized that they were banged up, just like everybody else, but they couldn't keep blaming injuries for their misfortune. Right before the James Harden trade, team president Koby Altman shared that sentiment with his brass.
The Cleveland Cavaliers know there's no more room for excuses
"Among the items discussed were two realizations: The Cavs had to stop blaming injuries for their problems, and they weren’t good enough as constructed to contend for a championship," the report read.
That might also be why we haven't heard anything about Jarrett Allen's knee. He's playing through it, and while he's lacked the same explosiveness at times, no one's making excuses for him; he's just putting his head down and getting to work.
That could also be the case with James Harden. There was a point where it seemed like he was set to go under the knife because he couldn't even grip the basketball, but he chose to play through it, and he hasn't even mentioned it, regardless of whether his shot is falling or not.
These things might seem minor, but they definitely aren't. This team has earned a reputation for being soft and not mentally prepared to take care of business when it matters the most. That has haunted not only the players individually but also the organization for years now, and it's a heavy cross to bear.
The Cavs know that they need to win the mind game first if they want to win the actual game, and it starts with their own heads. This also goes to show how many factors can make or break a team's season and why it's so hard to win in this league.
This might be the Cavs' final chance to prove they're for real and deserve respect and fear as a group. Darius Garland was the scapegoat way too many times, but he's no longer there. Of course, that's not to say that they can't lose at any point in the playoffs, but they certainly can't afford to be outworked or outmuscled.
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