With only three games to go until the playoffs start, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been in a free fall.
No, that doesn't mean Cleveland assistant coach Luke Walton controls the team's practice music on “Luke Walton Wednesdays” with Tom Petty on blast. Instead, the Cavs have slipped from a top-three record in the Eastern Conference to fifth-place, stuck battling the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers for the best overall playoff seed.
While there is no room for excuses for why the Cavs have played so poorly to put themselves in this spot, the recent slide has made many outside the organization question Cleveland's playoff chances. To those naysayers, the Cavs are cooked and shaping up for another unremarkable first-round playoff exit, just like last season.
But if you were to ask anyone inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse or Cleveland Clinic Courts who rocks wine, gold and black, things aren't quite as dire as some may make it seem.
This postseason, it's Cleveland against the world
“A lot of people don't think that we're in a good spot,” Darius Garland said. “But I think that we're in a good spot for all that adversity that we've had and all we've had to come through. I think we can only get better.
“Even though we're still going into the playoffs, I think we still have a lot more that we can just really show and just put out there so I think we're in a really good spot and I think we'll be in good shape.”
Garland highlighted the injury adversity the Cavs have been dealing with all season long. More often than not, whenever Cleveland gets a player back into their rotation, they lose one or two more to injury, making things inconsistent and unsteady on the court.
But to Garland and others, this is a case of iron sharpening iron, with the Cavs now focused on stringing together on-court consistency to help build momentum toward the playoffs. Garland shared with ClutchPoints that despite their inconsistent play on their recent road trip, where Cleveland went 1-4, a lot of good came from it that can help them build that momentum.
Although that might be hard to do with only three games to go in the regular season, there is optimism the Cavs won't be as shellshocked as they were last season when they faced the New York Knicks in the playoffs. Instead, according to one of their more battle-tested veterans, last year's loss was a lesson from the school of hard knocks.
“I mean, playoff experience is real, right? I think all these young guys and players got the experience last year, so they know what to expect,” Georges Niang said. “I think the guys coming in here know what to expect. And the playoffs are a totally different brand of basketball. It's the fouls that aren't going to be called, guys are going to be holding each other and you got to be able to push through all of that to get to the other side. I think guys are ready to compete at that level.
“It's just everything intensifies. It's not just there can be no slippage because every little thing matters in the playoffs.”
In addition to the vote of confidence, like Garland, Niang believes the Cavs can build momentum toward the postseason, making things a little easier for them on either end of the floor. Niang shared with ClutchPoints that it all hinges on shooting and playing at a faster pace, which Cleveland has showcased an ability to do on multiple occasions this season. The final three regular season games can help the Cavs tap into that more regularly which is the right thing to do, especially when the team believes they can handle the rigors of the postseason.
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