Pierre Pan
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2023-24 Playoff Series #1 | Game #7 | Magic @ Cavs | May 5, 2024
- Thread starter Wham with the Right Hand
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Benway
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I hope he gets his hands on something a little stronger for Boston!
Pierre Pan
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Excellent recap from Pluto:
www.cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The game has been over for a while, and in my mind I can still hear the fans chanting “LET’S GO CAVS.”
Close your eyes: You can still see the fans standing, stomping, waving white towels.
Use your imagination: You can feel Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse shake, even though the fans are gone.
Cavs 106, Orlando 94.
Game 7 of the playoffs, and the Cavs are headed to the second round to face Boston.
Game 7, the Cavs were behind by 18 points in the second quarter.
Game 7, weren’t you worried your team was about to be blown out … at home?
Game 7!!!
“The best two words in sports,” Donovan Mitchell said before this game.
They sound even better than best, given what happened on this Sunday afternoon at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavs rose from the basketball dead to live for another round of the playoffs.
J.B. Bickerstaff pulled his team together after they were down by 18 points in the second quarter. Then they came back to win Game 7 over Orlando.
Winning this series was the first time the Cavs have won a round of the playoffs without James since … get this … 1993. That was the Lenny Wilkens, Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Larry Nance and Hot Rod Williams Era.
Winning this series was the first time coach J.B. Bickerstaff has prevailed in the playoffs.
Winning this season broke a streak of being knocked off in the previous three first rounds for Mitchell.
Winning this series should remind Cavs fans that their team has done something right in the last few years under the leadership of President Koby Altman.
Winning this series when it seemed many in Cavs Nation were looking for Bickerstaff’s replacement – even before the series was over.
Winning this series … in Game 7 … at home … when it looked like all was lost …
“This is why you fight for home-court advantage,” said Bickerstaff. “This is the moment. This is what competition is all about.”
This is fun.
Mitchell was on shaky terms with his jumper. He was 2 of 8 on 3-point shots. As he said after his 50-point performance in the Game 6 loss at Orlando, “I can’t make a 3 (pointer) to save my life right now.”
Instead, Mitchell took the ball to the rim. Over and over and over. Drive. Take the bumps, the shoves and elbows.
Make a layup, get knocked to the floor.
Then get up. Go to the foul line. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Give your heart a few seconds to stop pounding in your chest.
Then make the free throws. Mitchell was 15 of 17 at the foul line.
In Game 7, the fans chanted “M-V-P … M-V-P” when Mitchel was at the foul line.
You can say it right now if you’d like … no question, on this team Mitchell is indeed “M-V-P.”
Mitchell has scored 89 points in the last two games.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland celebrates with Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
It was how he kept talking to Darius Garland during the game. Garland was having a miserable afternoon. His shot was clanking off the rim. He was doing those endless circle dribbling drives to seemingly nowhere. He was abused on defense.
Mitchell kept telling Garland to keep shooting. He hugged him. He whispered to him. More than once, he raised his voice to let Garland know this was not the time to give up. Finally, Garland hit a couple key shots, scoring seven points in the fourth quarter.
That also was the same message he delivered to the rest of the team.
Don’t give up … not now.
And they responded.
With star center Jarrett Allen out with bruised ribs, Evan Mobley delivered an Allen-type performance with 16 rebounds, 11 points and five blocks.
Caris LeVert has been bothered by a sore knee. He came off the bench and scored 15 points, adding five rebounds and some drive-to-rim ruggedness desperately needed.
Max Strus hit a trio of desperately needed 3-point shots. Sam Merrill put eight points next to his name in 11 minutes.
The most underrated player was Isaac Okoro, who played rugged defense on Orlando star Paolo Banchero in the second half. The Cavs outscored Orlando by 25 points with Okoro on the court.
“LET’S GO CAVS!”
That’s right, Cavs fans … your team is headed to Boston for Tuesday’s Game 1 in the next round of the playoffs.
Cavs fans ... taste it ...savor it ... Your team won an epic Game 7 – Terry Pluto
Down by 18 points in the second quarter, the Cavs seemed to rise from basketball dead to stay alive in the playoffs.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The game has been over for a while, and in my mind I can still hear the fans chanting “LET’S GO CAVS.”
Close your eyes: You can still see the fans standing, stomping, waving white towels.
Use your imagination: You can feel Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse shake, even though the fans are gone.
Cavs 106, Orlando 94.
Game 7 of the playoffs, and the Cavs are headed to the second round to face Boston.
Game 7, the Cavs were behind by 18 points in the second quarter.
Game 7, weren’t you worried your team was about to be blown out … at home?
Game 7!!!
“The best two words in sports,” Donovan Mitchell said before this game.
They sound even better than best, given what happened on this Sunday afternoon at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavs rose from the basketball dead to live for another round of the playoffs.
J.B. Bickerstaff pulled his team together after they were down by 18 points in the second quarter. Then they came back to win Game 7 over Orlando.
THIS IS A BIG DEAL
For the Cavs, this was one of best days in a long time, at least since 2018. That was the final LeBron James season in Cleveland when they went to the NBA Finals and lost to the Warriors.Winning this series was the first time the Cavs have won a round of the playoffs without James since … get this … 1993. That was the Lenny Wilkens, Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Larry Nance and Hot Rod Williams Era.
Winning this series was the first time coach J.B. Bickerstaff has prevailed in the playoffs.
Winning this season broke a streak of being knocked off in the previous three first rounds for Mitchell.
Winning this series should remind Cavs fans that their team has done something right in the last few years under the leadership of President Koby Altman.
Winning this series when it seemed many in Cavs Nation were looking for Bickerstaff’s replacement – even before the series was over.
Winning this series … in Game 7 … at home … when it looked like all was lost …
“This is why you fight for home-court advantage,” said Bickerstaff. “This is the moment. This is what competition is all about.”
This is fun.
TRUE BASKETBALL GREATNESS
And Mitchell delivered one of the best Game 7 performances in Cavs history … in any round. He finished with 39 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.Mitchell was on shaky terms with his jumper. He was 2 of 8 on 3-point shots. As he said after his 50-point performance in the Game 6 loss at Orlando, “I can’t make a 3 (pointer) to save my life right now.”
Instead, Mitchell took the ball to the rim. Over and over and over. Drive. Take the bumps, the shoves and elbows.
Make a layup, get knocked to the floor.
Then get up. Go to the foul line. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Give your heart a few seconds to stop pounding in your chest.
Then make the free throws. Mitchell was 15 of 17 at the foul line.
In Game 7, the fans chanted “M-V-P … M-V-P” when Mitchel was at the foul line.
You can say it right now if you’d like … no question, on this team Mitchell is indeed “M-V-P.”
Mitchell has scored 89 points in the last two games.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland celebrates with Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
TRUE LEADERSHIP
But there’s something else that made him “M-V-P”.It was how he kept talking to Darius Garland during the game. Garland was having a miserable afternoon. His shot was clanking off the rim. He was doing those endless circle dribbling drives to seemingly nowhere. He was abused on defense.
Mitchell kept telling Garland to keep shooting. He hugged him. He whispered to him. More than once, he raised his voice to let Garland know this was not the time to give up. Finally, Garland hit a couple key shots, scoring seven points in the fourth quarter.
That also was the same message he delivered to the rest of the team.
Don’t give up … not now.
And they responded.
A TEAM EFFORT
With star center Jarrett Allen out with bruised ribs, Evan Mobley delivered an Allen-type performance with 16 rebounds, 11 points and five blocks.
Caris LeVert has been bothered by a sore knee. He came off the bench and scored 15 points, adding five rebounds and some drive-to-rim ruggedness desperately needed.
Max Strus hit a trio of desperately needed 3-point shots. Sam Merrill put eight points next to his name in 11 minutes.
The most underrated player was Isaac Okoro, who played rugged defense on Orlando star Paolo Banchero in the second half. The Cavs outscored Orlando by 25 points with Okoro on the court.
“LET’S GO CAVS!”
That’s right, Cavs fans … your team is headed to Boston for Tuesday’s Game 1 in the next round of the playoffs.
cliffdawg
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I have much respect for Orlando after this series, I truly thought we would run right through them, especially after we took the first 2 games, that defense would have gave any playoff team a run for there money……
Jscc
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JBB and Koby simultaneously: "oh $#!+...."
bushwick_bill
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How Donovan Mitchell’s trust in his teammates was rewarded during historic Game 7 comeback victory
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Isaac Okoro pulled down an offensive rebound and took one dribble before passing to teammate Donovan Mitchell. The star of the game, Mitchell attacked Orlando’s interior as Darius Garland shuffled toward the corner, the same corner where he had just a missed a wide-open 3-pointer that would’ve given the Cavs a comfortable double-digit lead around the midway point of the fourth quarter.
With a trio of Magic defenders converging on Mitchell near the rim, he trampolined off the court, hung in the air and had an opening to spin in one of his patented acrobatic layups, the same variety that helped ignite his 50-point eruption in Game 6.
Only Mitchell didn’t whirl the ball of the glass this time. He snapped it to Garland.
Swish.
The sellout crowd rumbled. Garland bounced and held his follow-through before an animated fist-pump that expelled nearly four quarters of rage and frustration. Orlando called timeout.
As players started to walk the other way, Mitchell turned and waited. He knew what that moment meant. For Garland. For the Cavs. For the next round. He wanted to share it with him.
It’s why Mitchell, who scored the team’s final 22 points in the Game 6 loss the other night, bypassed a layup attempt he easily could’ve made. There’s always a bigger picture in play. A basketball savant who prides himself on an unquantifiable ability to empower and uplift teammates, Mitchell knew how much Garland needed that moment. How much the franchise needed Garland to have that moment.
It wasn’t just worth three points. It wasn’t the typical timeout-inducing bucket.
If the Cavs are going to make a deep postseason run and continue to evolve as a team, Mitchell can’t do it all by himself — something he spoke about at the start of the postseason, a reality that became more evident Friday night in Orlando, when his third career 50-point playoff masterpiece wasn’t enough.
Every superhero needs a sidekick.
“When he hit that 3, I knew he’s back,” Mitchell said when asked about Garland following the gutsy 106-94 come-from-behind win. “Sometimes you just need that — a second opportunity. That’s huge. That’s who he needs to be. I always tell him — he was in foul trouble and things like that — but keep shooting the ball, keep being aggressive. I don’t care if you turn the ball over, I don’t care if the crowd boos, I don’t care. We don’t care. Just continue to be you. I’m glad he was able to do that tonight.”
Mitchell dazzled. Again.
He tallied 17 of his game-high 39 points during a season-saving third quarter in which he outscored the Magic all by himself, 17-15, and allowed the Cavs to overcome an ugly, embarrassing and boo-filled start to take an eight-point lead into the fourth. Over the final two games of this ultra-competitive best-of-seven series, Mitchell totaled 89 points — the second-best mark in Games 6 and 7 in NBA history, behind Hall-of-Famer Allen Iverson.
On Sunday afternoon, Mitchell was equal parts leader, scoring dynamo, silencer and therapist.
When the Cavs needed a big play, Mitchell delivered. When coach J.B. Bickerstaff needed to relay strategy, Mitchell was a sounding board. When a teammate needed support, advice, knowledge or encouragement, Mitchell was there — just like the private moment between Mitchell and Garland near the midway point of the third quarter, after the disheartened youngster had just missed a driving layup and returned to the bench miffed. Mitchell sat down next to Garland, put his arm around him and tried to inspire before veteran Max Strus did the same.
“I told him, ‘I don’t give a damn what happened the past quarter and a half, the missed layup, whatever, I don’t care. Trust your work. Trust what you’ve done. Trust who you are,’” Mitchell relayed when asked about that interaction. “In a Game 7, I experienced this when we played Denver, it becomes a lot. I’m not saying that was the case for him, I’m not going to speak for him. But I understand what he was feeling. It’s like, ‘Damn, I can’t get anything right.’ So, for me, it’s just like trust it. We trust you, so believe in yourself. There’s been moments where he’s done the same to me, we have that relationship.”
Prior to Mitchell’s pep-talk, Garland looked like an out-of-place neophite on the Game 7 stage. He had more fouls than points. Was a game-worst minus-11. An essential non-factor. Shades of his infamous fourth quarter two days earlier, which included a blunderous — and juvenile — eight-second violation in crunch time. Garland’s ineffectiveness led to Bickerstaff leaning on sixth man Caris LeVert for almost the duration of the third quarter.
But in the fourth, Garland got his shot at retribution. He came through, providing Mitchell the kind of support he needed but didn’t get Friday night.
The 24-year-old Garland (almost) went the distance. He was the team’s leading scorer in the final 12 minutes, tallying 10 points on 2 of 4 shooting, 1 of 2 from 3-point range and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line to go with three assists against zero turnovers.
“It means a lot, just having a guy like that on my side,” Garland said of Mitchell. “We’ve been at it for two years and we’ve been trying to get past this first round, so he knew that we all wanted it at the same time and together. He knew that I was a little bit down in the first half, especially with the foul trouble, but he kept trusting me, especially that corner trey ball. He trusts me on that one. It’s cool just having him in my ear, telling me to keep going, stay confident in myself and that the entire team and the entire organization believes in me.
“I really needed it.”
Given the magnitude and the stakes, Sunday’s epic win will go down in franchise lore. It has already entered the league’s history books — the largest Game 7 comeback victory since 1997-98.
But the most consequential aspect for the Cavs: It wasn’t a solo act.
The supporting cast that’s been labeled inadequate and inferior, not talented enough to keep Mitchell from eventually bolting Cleveland for a better situation, provided enough help.
“When we’re together, we can do anything,” Bickerstaff said. “We’ve got enough talent in that room that when we compete at our highest level, as a unit, we can make special things happen. That was the tell of it. Everybody who played gave us something. There was just a bunch of different guys that made plays that gave us hope, and we’ve got the ultimate belief in that group in there that they can overcome a ton.”
With the offense discombobulated for the first 10 minutes, mustering just 12 points and missing 13 of its first 17 shots, Bickerstaff turned to little-used sharpshooter Sam Merrill, who contributed eight points off the bench, making Cleveland’s only two triples in an otherwise disastrous opening half.
“Sam’s great for our team, one of the best shooters I’ve ever been around,” Strus said. “To be able to have that on your bench and have that spark at any moment you need it, he’s going to be big for us to continue this playoff run. That’s the playoffs. Guys got to step up and guys make plays. We all got to do it together to win and advance.”
Strus was one of Cleveland’s prized offseason pickups. He was targeted for his tenacity, toughness, shooting, spacing and postseason experience. All of that was on display in the turnaround third quarter, rebounding from a scoreless start and pouring in 11 points on 4 of 5 shooting and 3 of 3 from beyond the arc to loosen the defense and complement Mitchell.
“We could have split and went opposite ways and really put our head down and just taken an L. But guys stayed with it, kept fighting,” Strus said. “We love each other. We love playing, and we want to keep going. We knew that the first round was not just a success for us. That would’ve been a failure. So, we’ve advanced and we’re going to have that same motto in the second round. Keep winning. And not take it lightly and go out and get more. Be greedy.”
There was also Isaac Okoro’s stifling defense against Orlando All-Star Paolo Banchero, showing why Bickerstaff and teammates were pushing so hard for Okoro to be on one of the end-of-season All-Defensive teams. Banchero showed his promise. He finished with 38 points. But it came on an inefficient 10 of 28 from the field, including a four-point third quarter when the Cavs seized control.
“That’s my role,” Okoro said. “I know it’s win or go home, so I was going to do anything it took to win this game.”
Evan Mobley, who battled through a less-than-100-percent ankle and shifted to center for injured Jarrett Allen, corralled 16 rebounds, including five on the offensive end. Mobley also anchored the defense, swatting five shots for a second time in the series.
“A lot of responsibility,” Mobley said of his mindset without Allen. “I was just trying to protect the paint as best we can and play his role.”
LeVert, fighting through some knee soreness and on the heels of a second-half DNP, was the first player to arrive at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Sunday afternoon. That extra preparation paid off. Attacking the rim relentlessly, he finished with 15 points — six more than he had in the previous three games combined — to go with five rebounds and four assists in 30 impactful minutes.
“He was huge,” Bickerstaff said of LeVert. “We’ve got a belief in Caris. When you go back and think about last year’s playoffs, Caris was one of our best players in that series. So, we know that no matter the moment, no matter the pressure, Caris has the ability to impact success and impact winning. He knew we needed it tonight, and he came off the bench and gave us a huge spark on both ends.”
During pregame introductions, a time when the crowd typically comes alive, eagerly awaiting tipoff, there was a smattering of boos directed at Bickerstaff, the oft-criticized coach who has been in the crosshairs all season. With non-stop chatter about Bickerstaff’s shortcomings as an in-game tactician and questions about how he deploys various members of his nightly rotation, many around the NBA have discussed him coaching for his job. A loss Sunday could’ve been catastrophic, taking his postseason series head-coaching record to 0-3.
But Bickerstaff blocked out the noise and earned the most gratifying triumph in his career. He also pushed a lot of the right buttons.
He put Okoro back in the starting lineup for Marcus Morris Sr. Bickerstaff went to Merrill early. He made a tough decision to pull Garland for LeVert early in the third — all while not losing faith in the young point guard. Bickerstaff quickly yanked veteran Georges Niang after three ineffective minutes — although it’s fair to wonder why Bickerstaff used Niang in the first place. Bickerstaff picked the right moments to call on veteran center Tristan Thompson, keeping Mobley from gassing out late. The proper halftime adjustments were clearly made, as the Cavs outscored Orlando 63-41 over the final 24 minutes. Bickerstaff even unveiled an offensive-minded five-man lineup that hadn’t seen the court together at any point this season. What a time to do that.
“Definitely a special moment for this group who’s been through so much this year — a group who’s been left for dead multiple times by a lot of people,” Bickerstaff said. “For them to come together in this moment and figure it out, it’s more about the group than it is me, and I think we’re most proud of that. We’re not done. Got a ways to go.”
Resiliency. Resolve. Redemption. Revival. Relief.
A year after being bullied out of the first round, Cleveland is headed to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
And the Cavs did the way they have all season:
Together.
The Oi
Ahhhh chachachacha
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Where’s the best place to get krokodil in Cleveland?
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Koby went out and got him. Some would rather have Lauri back. We’re lucky Koby had the balls to pull the trigger on the trade.
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John Be Back?
That would be infuriating to a lot of people.
I just want my team to win.
bushwick_bill
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100%, and I will support this team regardless of who is coaching it.
macbdog
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Well hell I could have told Dammarell this.
Pierre Pan
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Jason Lloyd article from The Athletic:
apple.news
CLEVELAND — You want resiliency? You want toughness? Here it is.
Down 18 at home in an elimination game after a gut-twisting loss in Game 6. Their star player hobbled and exhausted. Their coach fighting for his job. The season 30 minutes from extinction.
It felt over until it didn’t. The ending was catastrophic until it wasn’t.
Donovan Mitchell can’t get out of the first round. The Cavs can’t win a playoff series without LeBron James.
Mitchell and the Cavs, two entities seemingly haunted by their past, uniting to unburden their troubles on a young Orlando Magic team that is close to becoming a real problem in the Eastern Conference. But not yet.
If a playoff series doesn’t begin until the road team wins, as we’ve often been led to believe, then this one never really began. And yet it ended so much.
The Cavs never have to again hear about the New York Knicks last year or their inability to win in the postseason without LeBron James. Mitchell doesn’t have to hear about his first-round flameouts the last two years.
Through the first five games of this series, Mitchell struggled badly. He simply wasn’t very good for long stretches. In the last two games, despite a hobbled knee, he was the best player on the floor. His 89 points are the second-most in Games 6 and 7 of a series in NBA history. He fell one point shy of Allen Iverson’s record in 2001.
He pulled and dragged and shoved his teammates higher and carried them further than they’ve ever been the last three days. It took longer than expected, but this is exactly why the Cavs traded for him. To lead and guide the kids. And when they couldn’t do it, he tried doing it all himself in Sunday’s 106-94 Game 7 win.
One of my biggest gripes for the last two years has been too many players standing around waiting for Mitchell to bail them out. That certainly happened in Game 6 in Orlando, but not this time.
When he needed the help in Sunday’s Game 7, Isaac Okoro was there to change the game on the defensive end in the third quarter, Sam Merrill was there for a pair of crucial 3s in the second quarter when hope was fading and, yes, Darius Garland was there for a big corner 3-pointer in the fourth quarter that led to a long embrace between the mentor and the mentee.
Merrill struggled finding a role and consistent minutes despite being the Cavs’ best 3-point weapon in a series that lacked consistent shooting. I asked Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff before the game how he decides how much leash to give Merrill.
He said it basically depends on how much Garland and Mitchell play together in these games.
“The more those guys play together, the less opportunity there is for a guy like Sam,” Bickerstaff said.
Bickerstaff very well might be coaching for his job these days, so he mixed things up a bit Sunday. He started the second quarter with a lineup of Caris LeVert, Tristan Thompson, Georges Niang, Garland and Merrill that played a grand total of eight minutes together all season. He also gave Merrill a longer leash with nine minutes in the second quarter and 11 for the game. Merrill responded with two huge 3s that injected life onto the floor.
The Cavs have to keep seeking pockets of minutes for Merrill moving forward. At least give him a couple of shots to see if it’s falling. When it’s not, move on. When he’s hot, he can swing a series as he did in the second quarter Sunday.
Garland had another horrendous shooting day. He missed 10 of his first 11 shots. When he missed a corner 3 midway through the fourth, Okoro grabbed the rebound and gave it to Mitchell, who immediately swung it back to Garland again in the corner. He made it the second time.
Mitchell passed up a layup in the process, so I asked him if the pass back to Garland in the corner was intentional to get Garland another look or if it was the right basketball play. He said both, but primarily it was intentional. He could’ve gotten the layup, but he wanted Garland to shoot it again.
Garland scored 10 points in the fourth quarter with three assists. He didn’t turn the ball over once.
The Cavs are going to need a much better version of Garland moving forward than what they got against the Magic. Mitchell kept emphasizing that the Cavs haven’t accomplished anything yet, and he’s right.
“When they traded for me, it wasn’t just to win a first-round series,” Mitchell said.
It was for more, much more. But this was an important step to get to the more. The task gets incredibly tougher now. The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the East all season.
Maybe this is all they needed. Maybe a first-round win, dimming the lights a bit and outrunning their history is enough to allow them to play more freely in the weeks ahead. We’ll know soon enough.
It’s May now. LeBron is at home, while the Cavaliers play on.
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers silence the narratives with gutsy Game 7 win — The Athletic
The Cavs never have to again hear about the Knicks last year or their inability to win in the postseason without LeBron.
CLEVELAND — You want resiliency? You want toughness? Here it is.
Down 18 at home in an elimination game after a gut-twisting loss in Game 6. Their star player hobbled and exhausted. Their coach fighting for his job. The season 30 minutes from extinction.
It felt over until it didn’t. The ending was catastrophic until it wasn’t.
Donovan Mitchell can’t get out of the first round. The Cavs can’t win a playoff series without LeBron James.
Mitchell and the Cavs, two entities seemingly haunted by their past, uniting to unburden their troubles on a young Orlando Magic team that is close to becoming a real problem in the Eastern Conference. But not yet.
If a playoff series doesn’t begin until the road team wins, as we’ve often been led to believe, then this one never really began. And yet it ended so much.
The Cavs never have to again hear about the New York Knicks last year or their inability to win in the postseason without LeBron James. Mitchell doesn’t have to hear about his first-round flameouts the last two years.
Through the first five games of this series, Mitchell struggled badly. He simply wasn’t very good for long stretches. In the last two games, despite a hobbled knee, he was the best player on the floor. His 89 points are the second-most in Games 6 and 7 of a series in NBA history. He fell one point shy of Allen Iverson’s record in 2001.
He pulled and dragged and shoved his teammates higher and carried them further than they’ve ever been the last three days. It took longer than expected, but this is exactly why the Cavs traded for him. To lead and guide the kids. And when they couldn’t do it, he tried doing it all himself in Sunday’s 106-94 Game 7 win.
One of my biggest gripes for the last two years has been too many players standing around waiting for Mitchell to bail them out. That certainly happened in Game 6 in Orlando, but not this time.
When he needed the help in Sunday’s Game 7, Isaac Okoro was there to change the game on the defensive end in the third quarter, Sam Merrill was there for a pair of crucial 3s in the second quarter when hope was fading and, yes, Darius Garland was there for a big corner 3-pointer in the fourth quarter that led to a long embrace between the mentor and the mentee.
Merrill struggled finding a role and consistent minutes despite being the Cavs’ best 3-point weapon in a series that lacked consistent shooting. I asked Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff before the game how he decides how much leash to give Merrill.
He said it basically depends on how much Garland and Mitchell play together in these games.
“The more those guys play together, the less opportunity there is for a guy like Sam,” Bickerstaff said.
Bickerstaff very well might be coaching for his job these days, so he mixed things up a bit Sunday. He started the second quarter with a lineup of Caris LeVert, Tristan Thompson, Georges Niang, Garland and Merrill that played a grand total of eight minutes together all season. He also gave Merrill a longer leash with nine minutes in the second quarter and 11 for the game. Merrill responded with two huge 3s that injected life onto the floor.
The Cavs have to keep seeking pockets of minutes for Merrill moving forward. At least give him a couple of shots to see if it’s falling. When it’s not, move on. When he’s hot, he can swing a series as he did in the second quarter Sunday.
Garland had another horrendous shooting day. He missed 10 of his first 11 shots. When he missed a corner 3 midway through the fourth, Okoro grabbed the rebound and gave it to Mitchell, who immediately swung it back to Garland again in the corner. He made it the second time.
Mitchell passed up a layup in the process, so I asked him if the pass back to Garland in the corner was intentional to get Garland another look or if it was the right basketball play. He said both, but primarily it was intentional. He could’ve gotten the layup, but he wanted Garland to shoot it again.
Garland scored 10 points in the fourth quarter with three assists. He didn’t turn the ball over once.
The Cavs are going to need a much better version of Garland moving forward than what they got against the Magic. Mitchell kept emphasizing that the Cavs haven’t accomplished anything yet, and he’s right.
“When they traded for me, it wasn’t just to win a first-round series,” Mitchell said.
It was for more, much more. But this was an important step to get to the more. The task gets incredibly tougher now. The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the East all season.
Maybe this is all they needed. Maybe a first-round win, dimming the lights a bit and outrunning their history is enough to allow them to play more freely in the weeks ahead. We’ll know soon enough.
It’s May now. LeBron is at home, while the Cavaliers play on.
Pierre Pan
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Finally, Jimmy Watkins take:
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CLEVELAND, Ohio — He can’t shoot right now, and he can barely walk in certain moments. But Donovan Mitchell is driving to the basket (and putting his injured knee in danger), anyways. Over, and over and over, until he gets knocked down or knocked out of the playoffs.
I don’t know if Donovan Mitchell wants to sign a long-term extension in Cleveland. But for a couple hours on Sunday, it sure looked like he wants to remain a Cavalier for at least one more postseason series.
Mitchell scored 39 points on 11-of-26 shooting in 46 minutes during Cleveland’s 106-94 Game 7 win, which ESPN previewed in part by debating Mitchell’s next destination during its pregame show. He did all of it on a sore knee that looks more painful with every step. And though the star guard has limped and labored this entire series, and he’s refused to use his obvious discomfort as an excuse for sub-excellent performances.
Would a player who has checked out go through all that trouble for a first-round win?
The national narrative hasn’t evolved since the Cavs traded for Mitchell during the summer of 2022. From the moment he landed in Cleveland, his new fans have read reports or watched television segments concerning how soon he can leave and how many bigger markets might better suit his star qualities. Mitchell didn’t choose Cleveland, which, apparently, he never would.
I’m not saying he will – or, frankly, that he should – now. But Mitchell spoke volumes about his commitment to this Cavs team with his play on Sunday afternoon. On countless occasions, Mitchell attacked the rim on a bad knee like a player hungry for contact.
And by doing so, he defended his honor against the people so thirsty to photoshop him into a different jersey.
Four more takeaways from Cleveland’s Game 7 win on Sunday.:
2. Caris LeVert revs back to life at perfect moment
Game 7 victories require a lucky bounce or a fortunate whistle or, in Caris LeVert’s case, a resurgence from a struggling role player.
LeVert has outplayed that title for much of this season, during which he posted a career-high in assists (5.1) while Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell missed time with injuries. And when Game 7 required a spark, LeVert reminded Cleveland how valuable a sixth man can be at his best.
He did so by tallying 15 points, five rebounds and three assists during Game 7 on 56% shooting. And he posted those numbers one game after his personal playoff low point. LeVert scored only one point in just eight minutes during Cleveland’s Game 6 loss in Orlando. Perhaps a knee injury hurt his production, but the Cavs needed more from him, regardless of the reason.
Two days later, LeVert put excuses (and an excruciating first six games) behind him. He injected energy into a team that desperately needed a jolt during moments of Sunday’s game (as great bench players do). And in the process, he highlighted a timeless Game 7 adage:
Your six-game successes (or struggles) don’t matter unless you maintain (or correct) them in the seventh.
3. Maybe Cavs fans knew something about Sam Merrill
The fanbase’s favorite player in a playoff series is the player who could use more minutes when the team is losing. For six games, Cavs fans were convinced Sam Merrill fit the bill. And for six games, Cleveland’s coaching staff disagreed.
Merrill played 37 total minutes and logged two DNPs (including during Game 6) before Game 7, during which he scored eight points and made two 3-pointers in 12 crucial minutes. Before you say “I told you so,” consider that Merrill only made three 3-pointers during his first four games of this series, all of which came during Cleveland’s blowout loss in Game 3. And consider that Cleveland was outscored by six points in Merrill’s limited minutes.
After Sunday, however, Merrill’s supporters can argue with credibility that Merrill’s performance could be attributed to a lack of opportunities. And the same Cleveland coaching staff that kept Merrill on such a short leash for six games might be willing to give him a longer look in the next round. They might not have advanced there without him, which means it might be time to give Cavs fans some credit.
Score one for the armchair associate coaches. Merrill could, in fact, help Cleveland if he earned more minutes.
4. Spare the Jarrett Allen toughness talk
Let me quiet this chatter ahead of time: Allen’s absence over the last two games says more about his rib injury than it does about his toughness, grit, etc. And any fan suggesting otherwise is missing the point.
Allen 81 straight games (including playoffs) before missing Games 6 and 7 of this series. He played at least 60 games – at a physical position where most opponents outweigh him – for the sixth time in eight NBA seasons this year. And let’s not forget: Before injured ribs pushed Allen to the bench this postseason, he controlled the glass like no soft player ever could.
Entering Sunday’s game, Allen still led all players with 55 rebounds (15 offensive) with one fewer game played. He finished the series third behind Evan Mobley and Paolo Banchero.
Cleveland could’ve used that presence during Game 7, and they’ll certainly need it against the Celtics. But trust me, Allen feels the same way. And trust me, he tried every remedy Cavs fans were shouting – “take a painkiller, rub some dirt on it!” -- from their couches Sunday.
If Allen could’ve played, he would’ve. End of conversation. No need to waste words questioning a player who has already proven himself.
5. Celtics Stage Setter
This win feels good, and the Cavs feel like they have taken a tangible step forward from last year’s playoff failure. But the next step is even steeper, and the next opponent will test, and stretch, and push challenge Cleveland even further than the gutsy Magic.
The Boston Celtics have Orlando’s same strangling defense, hold the anemic offense. Boston shoots and makes more 3-pointers than any team in the league, which will force the Cavs to defend more honestly than the brick-throwing Magic. The Celtics offer few (if any) places to hide a subpar defender or attack a weak spot in their defense.
They can point to 64 regular-season wins (seven more than any other team) as proof. And they can point to 83.2 playoffs games played on average among their top six minute-earners. So while Cleveland should celebrate its first playoff series win this century without LeBron James, it should also prepare itself for a LeBron-sized challenge in the next round.
Cleveland’s next series begins Tuesday at T.D. Garden in Boston.
Despite national narratives, Donovan Mitchell doesn’t look ready to quit on the Cavs yet – Jimmy Watkins — cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — He can’t shoot right now, and he can barely walk in certain moments. But Donovan Mitchell is driving to the basket (and putting his injured knee in danger), anyways. Over, and over and over, until he gets knocked down or knocked out of the playoffs.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — He can’t shoot right now, and he can barely walk in certain moments. But Donovan Mitchell is driving to the basket (and putting his injured knee in danger), anyways. Over, and over and over, until he gets knocked down or knocked out of the playoffs.
I don’t know if Donovan Mitchell wants to sign a long-term extension in Cleveland. But for a couple hours on Sunday, it sure looked like he wants to remain a Cavalier for at least one more postseason series.
Mitchell scored 39 points on 11-of-26 shooting in 46 minutes during Cleveland’s 106-94 Game 7 win, which ESPN previewed in part by debating Mitchell’s next destination during its pregame show. He did all of it on a sore knee that looks more painful with every step. And though the star guard has limped and labored this entire series, and he’s refused to use his obvious discomfort as an excuse for sub-excellent performances.
Would a player who has checked out go through all that trouble for a first-round win?
The national narrative hasn’t evolved since the Cavs traded for Mitchell during the summer of 2022. From the moment he landed in Cleveland, his new fans have read reports or watched television segments concerning how soon he can leave and how many bigger markets might better suit his star qualities. Mitchell didn’t choose Cleveland, which, apparently, he never would.
I’m not saying he will – or, frankly, that he should – now. But Mitchell spoke volumes about his commitment to this Cavs team with his play on Sunday afternoon. On countless occasions, Mitchell attacked the rim on a bad knee like a player hungry for contact.
And by doing so, he defended his honor against the people so thirsty to photoshop him into a different jersey.
Four more takeaways from Cleveland’s Game 7 win on Sunday.:
2. Caris LeVert revs back to life at perfect moment
Game 7 victories require a lucky bounce or a fortunate whistle or, in Caris LeVert’s case, a resurgence from a struggling role player.
LeVert has outplayed that title for much of this season, during which he posted a career-high in assists (5.1) while Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell missed time with injuries. And when Game 7 required a spark, LeVert reminded Cleveland how valuable a sixth man can be at his best.
He did so by tallying 15 points, five rebounds and three assists during Game 7 on 56% shooting. And he posted those numbers one game after his personal playoff low point. LeVert scored only one point in just eight minutes during Cleveland’s Game 6 loss in Orlando. Perhaps a knee injury hurt his production, but the Cavs needed more from him, regardless of the reason.
Two days later, LeVert put excuses (and an excruciating first six games) behind him. He injected energy into a team that desperately needed a jolt during moments of Sunday’s game (as great bench players do). And in the process, he highlighted a timeless Game 7 adage:
Your six-game successes (or struggles) don’t matter unless you maintain (or correct) them in the seventh.
3. Maybe Cavs fans knew something about Sam Merrill
The fanbase’s favorite player in a playoff series is the player who could use more minutes when the team is losing. For six games, Cavs fans were convinced Sam Merrill fit the bill. And for six games, Cleveland’s coaching staff disagreed.
Merrill played 37 total minutes and logged two DNPs (including during Game 6) before Game 7, during which he scored eight points and made two 3-pointers in 12 crucial minutes. Before you say “I told you so,” consider that Merrill only made three 3-pointers during his first four games of this series, all of which came during Cleveland’s blowout loss in Game 3. And consider that Cleveland was outscored by six points in Merrill’s limited minutes.
After Sunday, however, Merrill’s supporters can argue with credibility that Merrill’s performance could be attributed to a lack of opportunities. And the same Cleveland coaching staff that kept Merrill on such a short leash for six games might be willing to give him a longer look in the next round. They might not have advanced there without him, which means it might be time to give Cavs fans some credit.
Score one for the armchair associate coaches. Merrill could, in fact, help Cleveland if he earned more minutes.
4. Spare the Jarrett Allen toughness talk
Let me quiet this chatter ahead of time: Allen’s absence over the last two games says more about his rib injury than it does about his toughness, grit, etc. And any fan suggesting otherwise is missing the point.
Allen 81 straight games (including playoffs) before missing Games 6 and 7 of this series. He played at least 60 games – at a physical position where most opponents outweigh him – for the sixth time in eight NBA seasons this year. And let’s not forget: Before injured ribs pushed Allen to the bench this postseason, he controlled the glass like no soft player ever could.
Entering Sunday’s game, Allen still led all players with 55 rebounds (15 offensive) with one fewer game played. He finished the series third behind Evan Mobley and Paolo Banchero.
Cleveland could’ve used that presence during Game 7, and they’ll certainly need it against the Celtics. But trust me, Allen feels the same way. And trust me, he tried every remedy Cavs fans were shouting – “take a painkiller, rub some dirt on it!” -- from their couches Sunday.
If Allen could’ve played, he would’ve. End of conversation. No need to waste words questioning a player who has already proven himself.
5. Celtics Stage Setter
This win feels good, and the Cavs feel like they have taken a tangible step forward from last year’s playoff failure. But the next step is even steeper, and the next opponent will test, and stretch, and push challenge Cleveland even further than the gutsy Magic.
The Boston Celtics have Orlando’s same strangling defense, hold the anemic offense. Boston shoots and makes more 3-pointers than any team in the league, which will force the Cavs to defend more honestly than the brick-throwing Magic. The Celtics offer few (if any) places to hide a subpar defender or attack a weak spot in their defense.
They can point to 64 regular-season wins (seven more than any other team) as proof. And they can point to 83.2 playoffs games played on average among their top six minute-earners. So while Cleveland should celebrate its first playoff series win this century without LeBron James, it should also prepare itself for a LeBron-sized challenge in the next round.
Cleveland’s next series begins Tuesday at T.D. Garden in Boston.
Pierre Pan
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Believe it or not, I really enjoyed listening to Bill Simmons’ podcast this evening with Ryen Russillo. It was nice listening to some different national perspectives and it lacked any Boston favoritism.
-Neither could see Donovan winding up with the Knicks with their current trajectory and Brunson’s emergence ; neither thought Brooklyn would make any sense since Bridges would have to head this way. They briefly pondered New Orleans and Miami, but Simmons felt that Cleveland was the right place for him.
- discussed the “1 big” effectiveness
- both liked Garland and Simmons felt that the jaw injury really bothered him mentally
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-Neither could see Donovan winding up with the Knicks with their current trajectory and Brunson’s emergence ; neither thought Brooklyn would make any sense since Bridges would have to head this way. They briefly pondered New Orleans and Miami, but Simmons felt that Cleveland was the right place for him.
- discussed the “1 big” effectiveness
- both liked Garland and Simmons felt that the jaw injury really bothered him mentally
NBA Magic Vs. Cavaliers Game 7 LIVE Playoffs Reaction with Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo
Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo following the last matchup of the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Cavs vs. Magic in Game 7. Subscribe to the Bill Si...
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Excellent recap from Pluto:
Cavs fans ... taste it ...savor it ... Your team won an epic Game 7 – Terry Pluto
Down by 18 points in the second quarter, the Cavs seemed to rise from basketball dead to stay alive in the playoffs.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The game has been over for a while, and in my mind I can still hear the fans chanting “LET’S GO CAVS.”
Close your eyes: You can still see the fans standing, stomping, waving white towels.
Use your imagination: You can feel Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse shake, even though the fans are gone.
Cavs 106, Orlando 94.
Game 7 of the playoffs, and the Cavs are headed to the second round to face Boston.
Game 7, the Cavs were behind by 18 points in the second quarter.
Game 7, weren’t you worried your team was about to be blown out … at home?
Game 7!!!
“The best two words in sports,” Donovan Mitchell said before this game.
They sound even better than best, given what happened on this Sunday afternoon at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavs rose from the basketball dead to live for another round of the playoffs.
J.B. Bickerstaff pulled his team together after they were down by 18 points in the second quarter. Then they came back to win Game 7 over Orlando.
THIS IS A BIG DEAL
For the Cavs, this was one of best days in a long time, at least since 2018. That was the final LeBron James season in Cleveland when they went to the NBA Finals and lost to the Warriors.
Winning this series was the first time the Cavs have won a round of the playoffs without James since … get this … 1993. That was the Lenny Wilkens, Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Larry Nance and Hot Rod Williams Era.
Winning this series was the first time coach J.B. Bickerstaff has prevailed in the playoffs.
Winning this season broke a streak of being knocked off in the previous three first rounds for Mitchell.
Winning this series should remind Cavs fans that their team has done something right in the last few years under the leadership of President Koby Altman.
Winning this series when it seemed many in Cavs Nation were looking for Bickerstaff’s replacement – even before the series was over.
Winning this series … in Game 7 … at home … when it looked like all was lost …
“This is why you fight for home-court advantage,” said Bickerstaff. “This is the moment. This is what competition is all about.”
This is fun.
TRUE BASKETBALL GREATNESS
And Mitchell delivered one of the best Game 7 performances in Cavs history … in any round. He finished with 39 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.
Mitchell was on shaky terms with his jumper. He was 2 of 8 on 3-point shots. As he said after his 50-point performance in the Game 6 loss at Orlando, “I can’t make a 3 (pointer) to save my life right now.”
Instead, Mitchell took the ball to the rim. Over and over and over. Drive. Take the bumps, the shoves and elbows.
Make a layup, get knocked to the floor.
Then get up. Go to the foul line. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Give your heart a few seconds to stop pounding in your chest.
Then make the free throws. Mitchell was 15 of 17 at the foul line.
In Game 7, the fans chanted “M-V-P … M-V-P” when Mitchel was at the foul line.
You can say it right now if you’d like … no question, on this team Mitchell is indeed “M-V-P.”
Mitchell has scored 89 points in the last two games.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland celebrates with Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
TRUE LEADERSHIP
But there’s something else that made him “M-V-P”.
It was how he kept talking to Darius Garland during the game. Garland was having a miserable afternoon. His shot was clanking off the rim. He was doing those endless circle dribbling drives to seemingly nowhere. He was abused on defense.
Mitchell kept telling Garland to keep shooting. He hugged him. He whispered to him. More than once, he raised his voice to let Garland know this was not the time to give up. Finally, Garland hit a couple key shots, scoring seven points in the fourth quarter.
That also was the same message he delivered to the rest of the team.
Don’t give up … not now.
And they responded.
A TEAM EFFORT
With star center Jarrett Allen out with bruised ribs, Evan Mobley delivered an Allen-type performance with 16 rebounds, 11 points and five blocks.
Caris LeVert has been bothered by a sore knee. He came off the bench and scored 15 points, adding five rebounds and some drive-to-rim ruggedness desperately needed.
Max Strus hit a trio of desperately needed 3-point shots. Sam Merrill put eight points next to his name in 11 minutes.
The most underrated player was Isaac Okoro, who played rugged defense on Orlando star Paolo Banchero in the second half. The Cavs outscored Orlando by 25 points with Okoro on the court.
“LET’S GO CAVS!”
That’s right, Cavs fans … your team is headed to Boston for Tuesday’s Game 1 in the next round of the playoffs.
Hold up.
This is why you fight for home court advantage? Didn’t the Cavs tank and not go for the slim shot at the 2 seed? I don’t remember seeing them fight for home court.