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The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached the mountaintop of the Eastern Conference, clinching the playoffs' number one seed with time to spare. But with the Cavs' triumph comes a new challenge: how do you finish the regular season strong when there’s seemingly nothing left to play for?
The answer, it appears, is rest.
As the Cavs rolled into Indiana to take on the Pacers, they will do so without four of their five core starters. Donovan Mitchell (ankle), Darius Garland (toe), Max Strus (knee), and Evan Mobley (rest) were all ruled out, leaving only Jarrett Allen available. However, even Allen is expected to be on a minute restriction. Sure, it’s a stark departure from the intensity that defined Cleveland’s climb to the top. But it might be a calculated risk that has ripple effects far beyond one game.
Are the Cavs taking risks with their eyes set on the playoffs?
Head coach Kenny Atkinson admitted after the Cavs' recent win over Chicago that the organization was in uncharted territory. No matter what, Atkinson wanted it to be a “collaborative thing” with the players.
With that in mind, Cleveland's game against the Pacers might have the clearest indication yet of the players' leanings. Rest has taken priority over rhythm. While that’s understandable from a health standpoint, it also opens a door the Cavs might not want ajar.
For starters, this isn’t just any late-season game. It's nationally televised on TNT, which raises eyebrows given the NBA’s Player Participation Policy. The league frowns on multiple star players sitting out simultaneously. That frown only further downturns in games that are being showcased to a national audience. With Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley all sidelined, the Cavs are toeing a precarious line. It could invite fines or scrutiny if the league decides to take a closer look.
But beyond league policies and optics lies a more pressing concern: momentum. The Cavs are choosing rest over rhythm at a time when continuity could be just as important as fresh legs. Atkinson has openly wrestled with this balance, and it’s a debate many coaches face once postseason positions are secured. Yet for a team that relies so heavily on chemistry and defensive cohesion, a disjointed finish to the regular season could prove costly.
Will this serve as a playoff preview?
Then there’s the opponent: the Pacers, a team very much still in the fight. Sitting in the fourth seed with a chance to climb or tumble depending on how the final stretch plays out, Indiana has every reason to bring full energy into this matchup. The stark contrast in urgency paints a picture of two teams on very different trajectories, at least for the moment.
There’s also another wrinkle: the Cavs and Pacers will face off again before the season ends. They could very well clash again in the second round of the playoffs. That’s not just hypothetical — it’s a looming possibility. By sitting stars now, Cleveland might miss an opportunity to mentally and tactically prepare for the matchup. It’s a missed dress rehearsal on a stage that could soon host much higher stakes.
To make things even more interesting, Jarrett Allen is looking to make Cavs team history. Allen is in pursuit of playing all 82 games this season. It's commendable, but with the focus on rest, will Cleveland's star big man play the entire game against the Pacers?
The Cavs already pulled Allen early in a recent game against San Antonio to preserve his streak while minimizing wear and tear, which is a smart compromise. However, it's also another sign that these final games are no longer about competition as much as they are about preservation, especially with another tough contest immediately following this road tilt in Indianapolis.
No matter what, the Cavs must find ways to focus on the bigger picture
After Indiana, the Cavs head straight to New York to face the Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back. Then they wrap up their season at home, once again, against the Pacers. That makes two matchups in three games against the same team they could see in the playoffs. These aren't meaningless games. They’re data points, tone-setters, and psychological edges waiting to be claimed.
Instead, Cleveland is opting for the long view. It might be the right call. Mitchell’s ankle, Garland’s toe, Strus’ knee, and Mobley’s overall wear could all benefit from extra time off. No one wants to limp into the playoffs, literally or figuratively. But if rhythm truly matters, and history suggests it does, then there’s danger in allowing too much dust to settle before the real battles begin.
The Cavs have earned their top-seed status, no doubt. They’ve been dominant, resilient, and disciplined throughout a long season. But as the curtain begins to rise on the NBA’s second act, they’re stepping back just when conventional wisdom says it might benefit them most to step forward.
Either way, by the time the playoffs arrive, these decisions will either look like the brilliance of a team playing the long game. Or it could be the misstep of one who forgot how fast things can change in the playoffs. Either way, Cleveland's road to the title now runs through a rest-heavy gamble — one that starts, fittingly, in Indiana, a possible playoff foe.
