In 1998, Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley were not born, Jarrett Allen had just been born and Donovan Mitchell was only two years old… That is to say if the current Cavaliers have never known a period when the franchise Cleveland shines without LeBron James.
Because 1997/1998 represents the last season during which the Cavaliers, without the “King” in their workforce, therefore, had played in the playoffs. The last until today since by beating the Rockets, Mitchell and his band validated their ticket for the first round, a first since 2018 and James’ last year in Ohio.
“We want to enjoy every step of the way, it’s really a chance”, asserts the rear Plain Dealer. “I don’t want to minimize this moment. Afterwards, I told the players, we did what we were supposed to do: keep moving forward and make the playoffs. We took the first step, we can take advantage of it, celebrate it with the city, between us, with the franchise. But at the same time, third place is at stake. That’s the goal. »
A place on the podium?
Is it still possible? Yes, since the Sixers are only two wins ahead. But this fourth place is already a success. After sluggish seasons following the departure of “LBJ”, the Cavaliers narrowly missed the playoffs last season, losing twice in the play-in. This qualification is therefore both the end of the tunnel, a form of relief and also the beginning of something bigger.
“I think that, at the level of the franchise, it is an important moment because we are starting from afar and we are moving forward season after season in the right direction”, believes JB Bickerstaff. “All of the efforts that members of this franchise have made to get us to this point should be commended. It is a collective work. Everyone enjoy it, but we haven’t achieved anything yet. »
Like Mitchell with the Jazz, Jarrett Allen has already made the playoffs, two years in a row with the Nets, in 2019 and 2020. Nevertheless, ” it feels good “says the pivot after this victory against Houston. “All this work done over the past two years is finally paying off. »
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Donovan Mitchell | 63 | 35.5 | 47.7 | 37.8 | 86.7 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 27.5 |
| Darius Garland | 64 | 35.2 | 46.7 | 41.4 | 85.5 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 7.8 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 21.7 |
| Evan Mobley | 73 | 34.4 | 55.2 | 21.4 | 68.2 | 2.3 | 6.6 | 9.0 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 16.3 |
| Jarrett Allen | 64 | 33.0 | 64.4 | 11.1 | 72.9 | 3.2 | 6.7 | 9.9 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 14.3 |
| Caris Levert | 69 | 30.0 | 42.4 | 37.9 | 73.3 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 12.0 |
| Cedi Osman | 70 | 20.7 | 45.5 | 36.6 | 68.4 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 8.8 |
| Kevin Love | 41 | 20.0 | 38.9 | 35.4 | 88.9 | 1.0 | 5.8 | 6.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 8.5 |
| isaac okoro | 75 | 21.9 | 49.3 | 36.3 | 75.2 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 6.5 |
| Ricky Rubio | 26 | 17.3 | 36.7 | 26.9 | 77.4 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 5.5 |
| lamar stevens | 55 | 17.7 | 46.6 | 32.5 | 72.5 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 5.4 |
| Dean Wade | 39 | 19.9 | 40.8 | 34.9 | 65.2 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 4.5 |
| Raulzinho Neto | 45 | 10.0 | 53.2 | 32.4 | 88.9 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 |
| Danny Green | 6 | 7.4 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 3.0 |
| Robin Lopez | 34 | 7.5 | 65.0 | 66.7 | 75.0 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 2.7 |
| Dylan Windler | 2 | 4.0 | 66.7 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| Mamadi Diakite | 18 | 6.7 | 39.4 | 26.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.7 |
| Isaiah Mobley | 9 | 3.4 | 50.0 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| Sam Merrill | 2 | 4.2 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
