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For months, the Cleveland Cavaliers had one singular mission: get to the playoffs healthy. It wasn’t just a hope. Instead, it was an organizational mandate. And as the postseason looms, that mission is accomplished. As the Cavs wrapped their first full playoff practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts, head coach Kenny Atkinson’s voice rang with a mix of pride and relief.
“Everybody's healthy,” Atkinson boasted.
The most significant name on that list? Donovan Mitchell.
After spraining his ankle against the Sacramento Kings and missing the final four games of the regular season, there was reason for concern. Mitchell had gutted out the final 15 minutes of that game in obvious discomfort before the team wisely shut him down.
But now, just days before Game 1, Mitchell is exactly where the Cavs need him to be: back, fully available, and unrestricted.
“We did some live stuff today, and he was full go,” Atkinson said of Mitchell. “No restrictions, no take him out of practice. None of that.”
The Cavs' master plan is about to come full circle
Mitchell's full participation was the sight Cleveland had been desperate to see. Not just for Game 1 against the winner of Friday night’s Play-In showdown between Miami and Atlanta, but for the long haul. The Cavs have legitimate championship aspirations, but none of it happens without Mitchell healthy, explosive, and locked in.
“Just for Donovan and really for our whole team, that was the most important thing in terms of getting ready for these playoffs was going into it healthy,” Atkinson said. “[I'm] really proud of the plan we had. How we managed guys [and] how they managed themselves. Our performance team, our medical team, it’s such a group effort.
“There’s a lot of planning that goes into it. Now I feel really relieved. It’s probably more of a relief that we kind of did it. I think the guys are in a good place, ready to go.”
It wasn’t luck. It was meticulous planning born from painful experience. Last season, a battered Mitchell limped through the playoffs with a bone bruise and a calf strain in his left leg, forcing him to miss the final two games as the Cavs bowed out against the Boston Celtics. The loss triggered sweeping changes: J.B. Bickerstaff out, Atkinson in, and a new doctrine in place. Fewer minutes and smarter management, with a focus on the bigger picture.
Donovan Mitchell's numbers are down for all the right reasons
This season, Mitchell played in 71 games, his highest total since 2019, while logging a career-low 31.4 minutes per game. Every decision was made with April, May, and June in mind.
While an ankle sprain threatened to derail those carefully laid plans, the Cavs stayed patient. They sacrificed regular-season wins, resting their stars to preserve their ultimate goal.
Now, the benefits are clear. Cleveland is healthy, energized, and teeming with anticipation.
“Feels like we’re back at training camp, honestly,” said first-time All-Star Evan Mobley. “We’re getting our work in, kind of a similar setup. I feel like it’s a good setup that they came up with, and we’re working hard. We’re gonna be ready.”
Cleveland's practice session was intense, featuring live action and playoff-specific drills. Everything is focused on sharpening their competitive edge before Game 1 at Rocket Arena. Soon, the Cavs will know their opponent. Miami or Atlanta — it doesn't matter. The Cavs are prepared.
“Very eager,” Mobley said when asked about learning who they will play. “Once it comes out, I know everyone’s antenna is going to be up, and coaches are going to set up whatever scout that looks like.
“We’re all going to be locked in.”
The Cavs are focused on unfinished business
There’s a sense of unfinished business in Cleveland, a hunger that’s been building since the painful end of last spring. The floor for this group? A trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, likely against the defending champion Boston Celtics. The ceiling? Banner No. 2 hanging in the rafters.
But none of it happens without Donovan Mitchell at full tilt. They need his 24 points per game, his relentless rim attacks, his defensive tenacity, and his unshakeable will in big moments. The Cavs need the Donovan Mitchell who changes the geometry of the floor and the energy of an arena.
Playoff basketball is unforgiving, so Mitchell’s ankle will continue to be monitored. But for now, Cleveland can breathe easy. Mitchell is ready. The Cavs are ready. Their shot at history is alive.
After months of calculated caution, of managing minutes and stressing the marathon over the sprint, the Cavs stand at the starting line of the playoffs healthy, hungry, and whole.
Now, it’s time to run.
