The Cavaliers crushed Miami. Will Cleveland be challenged in Round 2?
NBA playoff preview: Who can beat Boston or Cleveland?
Analyzing if the Bucks, Knicks, or Pacers have what it takes to beat Boston or Cleveland in the playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers categorically razed the Miami Heat on Monday, sweeping them in four games that looked — frankly — like the Cavs were on cruise control.
On one hand, it was impressive. Cleveland’s 73 bench points Monday night were just 10 fewer than Miami’s entire team scored in the 138-83 victory.
But, realistically, no one should read too much into this result.
Simply put: the Cavaliers, the wire-to-wire No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, did exactly what they needed to do. Guard Donovan Mitchell shined throughout the series, center Jarrett Allen worked the paint and Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter ignited off the bench.
More importantly, Cleveland ramped up its defensive intensity in the first round, with Evan Mobley — the newly-crowned Defensive Player of the Year — and Allen protecting the rim, and with wings closing out and defending the perimeter with tenacity.
So the big question is: will the Cavs be challenged in the conference semis?
Undoubtedly more than they were in the first round against a Heat team that rolled over, that much is clear.
But even the Pacers — Indiana is the likely opponent, with the Bucks in a 3-1 deficit and coping with Damian Lillard’s torn left Achilles tendon — have matchup issues against Cleveland.
The Cavs ranked ninth in the regular season in points in the paint per game (51.3), while the Pacers ranked 26th in opposing points in the paint per game (51.8).
With Allen’s footwork and efficiency and the ability of Mitchell and guard Darius Garland — if he heals from a toe sprain — to attack the paint, Cleveland can exploit Indiana’s weakness down low.
Indiana’s offense pushes the tempo up the court to prevent opposing defenses from getting into their sets. The Cavaliers — though not as quick as the Pacers — operate in a similar mind frame; the Pacers ranked seventh in pace (100.76), while the Cavs ranked 10th (100.31).
But one intangible Cleveland showed against Miami was its relentless intention in finishing. That much was evident from the first play of Game 4, when Heat point guard Davion Mitchell flicked a lazy pass that Allen easily swiped and turned into a breakaway dunk. From Mitchell and Mobley and Cleveland’s other star players down to the reserves that coach Kenny Atkinson played when he emptied the bench, the Cavaliers looked to exert dominance without compromise.
That’s what teams need to do in the playoffs.
And while the Pacers should not be overlooked, Cleveland’s success in the regular season — the Cavs won 64 games, most since they did in 2008-09 (66) — suggests this is a team that should have an Eastern Conference championship in its sights.
That would mean a likely date against the reigning champion Boston Celtics, the team Cleveland split four games with during the regular season.
Boston is one of the few teams in the NBA that can compete offensively against Cleveland; the Cavaliers posted the NBA’s top offensive rating, scoring 121 points per 100 possessions, while the Celtics ranked second (119.5).
Blowout sweeps in the first round are nice. This Cavaliers team is built to compete for far more.
