The Cleveland Cavaliers for the last four seasons have had one narrative and one label follow them around: soft.
From Jarrett Allen’s comments about the lights being too bright to Evan Mobley being at the enter of criticism every time he finished with single digit rebounds to wilting under the pressure of the playoffs, Cleveland has never been able to shed that label.
The narrative only got louder after they got bounced by Indiana in the second round last season, despite winning 64 games during the regular season. The Cavs came into this year with a desire to shed that label, but they knew that wouldn’t happen until the playoffs, their ultimate proving ground. Now, the energy has shifted.
The Cavaliers are no longer soft
Soft teams don’t win two seven game series in a row. Soft teams don’t bounce back after losing a heartbreaker in Game 6 against the Raptors and win Game 7 at home in resounding fashion. Soft teams don’t go down 0-2 and win four of the next five games of the series, including two pivotal road games. Soft teams don’t go into Detroit for a Game 7 and win by 31 points.
Cleveland has rid themselves of that label. During this playoff run, their toughness and resiliency has been on full display. From Mobley and Allen patrolling the paint on both ends, a big reason why the Cavs are one of the NBA’s best offensive rebounding teams this postseason. From Sam Merrill putting his body on the line for charges and coming back down and knocking in threes.
From Donovan Mitchell’s leadership to James Harden’s poise to Kenny Atkinson’s steadiness, Cleveland has never flinched or wavered this playoffs. Not once. Soft teams don’t do that.
The Cavs have been on the brink twice now this playoffs and despite all the noise about whether or not they have enough to compete or if they need to blow up the team, this franchise has not quit. They have stared adversity square in the face and have come out on top. That is the mark of a contender.
No matter what happens against New York, a series in which Cleveland can go for the ultimate vindication, given the Knicks are the team that punked them three years ago, the Cavs have a lot to be proud of. They have proven a lot of people wrong and are not the soft team that everyone thought they were.
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