The NBA can be a harsh place. Although the Cavaliers posted an impressive 32-4 record this season, many around the league expressed doubts about their playoff and championship chances.
The Cavaliers proved their quality by defeating the Thunder on Wednesday night, ending their 16-game winning streak while extending their winning streak to 11 games.
But the league has its doubts.
“Despite the evidence that Cleveland is a legitimate title contender, there remains skepticism around the league that it’s good enough to make a playoff push,” Bontemps said.
“Coaches and scouts pointed to the Cavaliers’ depth and frenetic pace — clear strengths in the regular season — as potential disadvantages in the postseason.
“I think they’re a very good regular-season team, but when the game slows down and becomes more focused, I’m a little concerned,” one assistant coach said during a recent game against Cleveland. Can Donovan? [Mitchell] and Darius [Garland] Do you want to take a bunch of photos when this happens? This will be the biggest problem.
There was also controversy surrounding Mitchell and Rowland in the defensive backfield.
“Scouts and coaches also pointed to potential defensive limitations in the Mitchell Garland backcourt, which teams will target more consistently in the seven-game playoff series,” Bontemps wrote. A common reference is to Mitchell’s former team, the Utah Jazz, whose defense was built around perennial Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert outside the paint — as in [Jarrett] What Allen and Mobley have done for Cleveland is make up for the team’s deficiencies on the outside.
Before the game against the Thunder, Mitchell spoke candidly about the Cavaliers and their ceiling.
“We’re playing well,” Mitchell told ESPN, “but can we be this team consistently? Can we be this team when we lose two or three games in a row? ?Can we be this team in the dog days before the All-Star break?
“How long can we hold on? That’s the challenge.
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