The Cleveland Cavaliers have been either the best or the second-best team in the league this season.
Now, it’s time to prove they’re as good as advertised.
Needless to say, they will need their best players to be at their best to do so.
With that in mind, Evan Dammarell of Down Euclid pointed out that a healthy Donovan Mitchell made this team ‘a different animal:’
“Last spring, Mitchell battled through a knee injury before a calf strain ended his run prematurely in the second round. This time, he’s entering the playoffs not just determined, but healthy. That changes everything,” Dammarell wrote. “With Mitchell operating at full capacity, Cleveland becomes a different animal. The offense that leans on collective movement suddenly has a go-to star for crunch-time moments. A top-tier defense now has the support of a fully operational offensive engine.”
Evan Mobley is the team’s most talented player, but Mitchell is still their leader, leading scorer, and best player at the time.
He’s struggled with efficiency during stretches, and not having him at full strength could lead to disaster.
Mitchell has had some huge performances in the playoffs in the past, but he’s also left a lot to be desired since he arrived in Cleveland.
The former Utah Jazz guard has proven that he can drop 30 points with ease if needed.
But he also has a tendency to struggle against physical defense, especially in the playoffs when the referees allow more contact and don’t reward him with trips to the free-throw line as often as they do in the regular season.
There are no reasons to have doubts about this team.
They’ve already shown that they can beat anybody in the league on a nightly basis when they’re locked in, and not even their disappointing ending to the season should change that.
Then again, even though they’re a well-rounded and balanced team, they might only go as far as Mitchell can take them.
NEXT: Analyst Reveals Cavs' Potential Matchup In First Round Of Playoffs
