The Cavs open the season in New York Wednesday with high expectations and unfinished business. After posting the second-best mark in the league, the team lost in the second round of the playoffs for the second straight year. Our sports commentator Terry Pluto says the team鈥檚 focus has shifted from piling up wins to proving they can go deeper in the playoffs.
鈥淭hey always say the NBA has two seasons," Pluto said. "One is the regular season, that鈥檚 the long 82-game, six-month journey, and then you get into the playoffs, which you need to go through four rounds and find a way to win 16 games to win the title in that process.鈥�
That playoff grind is what鈥檚 driving second-year head coach Kenny Atkinson.
鈥淚 talked to him at practice and he goes, 鈥楾erry, 11 and 15,鈥�" Pluto said. "And I鈥檓 kind of looking at him and I鈥檓 like, 鈥楰enny, what?鈥� (Atkinson said) 鈥楾hat鈥檚 our playoff record the last three years, 11-15.鈥� And he goes, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 not good enough, and that really bothers me,'"
Pluto said Atkinson wants his team to get beyond the second round and into what amounts to the NBA鈥檚 Final Four.
Pluto said the team made some moves in the offseason, particularly to beef up their bench.
鈥淭hey brought in a player named Lonzo Ball, a very, very talented point guard as a backup, but who has had massive knee problems in his career," Pluto said. "It鈥檚 a question, you know, can he stay healthy? And they also brought back Larry Nance Jr.鈥� but he鈥檚 another guy that has dealt with some injuries.鈥�
Still, Pluto said the focus remains on the Cavs鈥� 鈥渃ore four鈥� of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
Pluto said the team is focused on making sure Mitchell has support on the court.
鈥淒onovan Mitchell is the second-best player ever to play for the Cavaliers, and I think he鈥檚 one of the best players in the NBA,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淒onovan Mitchell is dealing with the rap that, yeah, you鈥檙e a great player, but you鈥檝e never won a title. Kenny (Atkinson) and I were talking about that, and Atkinson said, 鈥榊ou know, it鈥檚 just so unfair.鈥� He said, 鈥榃e need to be better for Donovan.鈥欌��
The Cavs start the season without Darius Garland and Max Strus, both recovering from injuries. Pluto believes they have the depth to manage early challenges.
鈥淚n the regular season, for example, Darius Garland is a point guard, handles the ball, but Donovan Mitchell, who鈥檚 the other guard, is so gifted, he also can do that,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淎nd then that small forward (to fill in) for Max Strus, they traded last year in the middle of the season for DeAndre Hunter, and I think he鈥檚 a guy that can have a big year.鈥�
Pluto said it鈥檚 the postseason where they鈥檒l need everyone healthy. He said last season鈥檚 second-round loss to the Indiana Pacers still lingers.
鈥淲hen they faced Indiana last year in the second round, Indiana was a team that played a lot of pressure defense and wore down not only the Cavs, wore down everybody else in the NBA until losing in the seventh game of the finals to Oklahoma City,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥�(The Cavs are) trying to just be able to play at a faster pace to handle that pressure defense.鈥�
Above all, Pluto said the Cavs will once again be a fun team to watch.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e one of those drama-free teams, much like the Guardians,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淏ut to be dismissive of them, well, you know, they鈥檙e really good in the regular season, but they just lose in the playoffs. I mean, (losing in the) first round, second round, what is that? You know what that is? That means you鈥檙e one of the best teams in the league, and it means you have a chance to go deep. It means you have a team worth watching.鈥�
Pluto said the group continues to find its rhythm.
鈥淭he team that won the 64 games and went to the second round or the team the year before that went to the second round, it wasn鈥檛 like they were a bunch of older guys right at the end of their careers,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all in their 20s, and that is your prime in the NBA. And I think they got a really good coach. So yeah, I鈥檓 upbeat.鈥�