Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff recently shared with ClutchPoints that he was optimistic about having Donovan Mitchell back before the postseason. Well, Bickerstaff's optimism is seemingly manifesting things into existence, making the Cavs a more complete team in the closing moments of the regular season.
Mitchell is slated to return when Cleveland hosts the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Getting Mitchell back after he was sidelined for five games due to a nasal fracture and nagging knee injury would be huge for the Cavs. More importantly, considering that Evan Mobley and Max Strus have also recently returned to the lineup, Mitchell's imminent return could be the spark Cleveland needs before the playoffs begin.
Donovan Mitchell is Cavs' most important piece on both ends
Despite how talented the Cavs are across the Rubicon, Donovan Mitchell is the player who binds everything together on either end of the floor.
Defensively, Cleveland has clamps on the perimeter in Isaac Okoro and two monsters on the interior in Mobley and Jarrett Allen to protect the paint. While Mitchell isn't quite on the same level as Okoro, Mobley, or Allen, he is also part of the defensive scheme and integral to its success.
Mitchell acts as a pest alongside Okoro, forcing switches that flip the star guard away from an opponent's best perimeter player and springing the Cavs' Okoro trap. With so many other defenders on there, Mitchell plays with active hands, easily stripping the ball away from opponents and using his god-given speed to get an easy fast-break bucket. Speaking of speed, whenever Mobley or Allen are too busy boxing out an opponent, Mitchel typically corrals the defensive rebound, blowing past opponents to the other end of the court.
When Cleveland plays faster, Mitchell is more than comfortable on offense, typically finding easy buckets or a wide-open teammate on the fast break. But whenever the opposing defense forces Mitchell and the Cavs to slow things down, Cleveland is still just as lethal.
This season, the Cavs have employed an offense that's predicated on rhythm, movement and a healthy dose of three-point shooting. Cleveland's new system is a perfect fit with Mitchell's speed, strength, passing, shooting and athleticism. While he has been sidelined, it has become clear how much Mitchell unlocks things for the Cavs on offense, with the rest of the team benefiting from defenses overreacting to him on the floor. With him back in action, it's perfect timing to allow Cleveland to ramp things up to the next level.
Mind you, this won't happen right away and will take time. Mitchell's knee injury has been bothering him since after the All-Star break, and he has even admitted it has impacted his ability to blow past opponents. So, it's going to take a bit for Mitchell to clear the physical and mental roadblocks that come with an injury as sensitive as this, and there will be rust to shake off on top of that.
Patience will be key in getting Mitchell back into the fold, especially when he'll likely be on a strict minutes restriction while he physically finds his way back to the player everyone expects him to be. Thankfully, when Mitchell returns for the Cavs against the Sixers, Cleveland will still have nine games left in the regular season.
Those nine games will be the perfect opportunity to get Mitchell back at his peak, which will allow the Cavs to zero in on their playoff opponent once the regular season ends. Sure, it isn't an ideal situation for Cleveland or Donovan Mitchell, but those are the breaks in the NBA.
Ultimately, all that really matters is the Cavs will have their MVP back in action.
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