Despite their recent struggles, the Cleveland Cavaliers still have the best record in the NBA.
They haven’t won at the same pace lately, and with some injuries and tired legs, they have hit a bit of a slump.
Even so, it’s not like they’re getting blown out or anything, and they’ve also been on the road more often than not lately.
That’s why, for Donovan Mitchell, it’s all about conditioning now.
Following their loss to the Houston Rockets, the star shooting guard talked about the team’s biggest challenge right now, which involves playing heavy minutes and still staying sharp on a nightly basis:
“We’re trying to get into 35, 36 minutes on a night-to-night basis and be ready [for the playoffs],” Mitchell said. “That’s the challenge on a night-to-night basis.”
The Cavs have won 36 of their first 45 games this season, so it’s not time to sound the alarm.
Then again, we’ve witnessed teams like this collapse due to exhaustion and injuries far too many times in the past.
The All-Star break can’t come soon enough for Kenny Atkinson’s team.
Even though several players should participate in the activities, Coach Atkinson will likely manage their minutes to help them recover and heal their bodies.
The regular season is different from the playoffs.
Sometimes, the healthiest team is the last one standing, and you never want to be banged up when everybody else is healthy.
The Cavs still have a lot of basketball left to play before they can think about resting players and playoff seeding.
But, just like other championship teams do, health should be at the top of their priority list going forward.
NEXT: Evan Mobley Had Concerning Statement About Cavs' Latest Loss
