Can the Cavaliers be more back?
The Cleveland Cavaliers came into Game 3, fully acknowledging the do-or-die nature of the contest, as all three injured players returned. Turns out that was the missing ingredient as the Cavaliers won convincingly to the tune of 126-104.
Winners
Donovan Mitchell continues his dominance
Mitchell carried the momentum from a personal Mount Rushmore performance from Game 2 into Game 3. While it was shy of Game 2’s 48 points, he did still score a necessary and relentless 43 to guide the Cavaliers to victory.
While on the surface it seemed like the Cavaliers still needed Mitchell to win against Indiana, the return of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and De’Andre Hunter allowed Mitchell to get more rest and less attention from the Pacers. In Game 2, there was no one else that Indiana had to give their full attention to. However, a banged-up version of Garland, Mobley, and Hunter is still better than most NBA players.
Mitchell was the driver in the waning minutes of Game 3. While it is not the ideal way to close out the game, it was effective. His playoff prowess has never really been in doubt as he always has been able to put the Superman cape on. You just don’t want the Cavaliers to push the “Donovan Save Us!” button so often that he begins to wear down.
A balanced scoring diet
The headline of this game is going to be another 40+ point outing from Mitchell, but what will not be discussed is the familiar look of balance the Cavaliers had as their identity in the regular season.
The Cavaliers’ starting five was responsible for 110 of the 126 points that Cleveland scored in the pivotal contest. All the starters were in double digits, a sign that the Cavaliers can rely on all their key players.
Max Strus delivered arguably his best and most important performance of his Cavaliers’ career, scoring 20 points, including a key three-pointer to put the game away for Cleveland. Jarrett Allen and Mobley combined for 37 points, 25 rebounds, and five blocks.
Garland scored 10 points, but it was more necessary for reasons that the box score won’t show. Garland allows for fewer on-ball minutes for Mitchell. With how the Pacers meet you early on in possessions, even carrying the ball up is a grind. Just some reprieve for Mitchell is a huge plus.
The Cavaliers are soft? Not Darius Garland
A major item of discourse over the days between games 2 and 3 centered around the injured Cavaliers, to be more specific, the toughness of the players being in question. I’m going to make my stance clear: yes, the postseason is a grind, and most players play hurt if possible. I will reiterate the key part of the sentence, IF POSSIBLE.
If anyone watched Game 3, you definitely noticed that one player looked significantly more hampered than the rest. Garland was laboring throughout the game. That toe injury looks just about as painful as any injury out there. Everything I have read about his injury illustrates that the recovery time for this would be a month at minimum to return to the floor.
Garland took roughly two weeks, and it showed the severity of that pain once he returned to the floor. It is a tolerance issue for Garland from this point out without the necessary recovery time. I give DG all the props in the world for hanging tough even when it looked like he couldn’t even dribble at times. There will have to be synergy between the medical staff and Garland to see how to manage this pain for a potential month or so.
If anyone online starts giving Garland crap for his play, just tell them to sprain their toe and go run a few miles and see how they do.
DG, you have a lifetime membership at the Salty Spittoon in my book.
The Cavaliers Holding Leads
The Cavs ran out to a 25-10 advantage, then the Pacers tied it up to end the quarter. It went from “we are so back” to “it is so over” really quick.
The air was sucked out of the room. The Cavaliers were just coming off the heels of an awful Game 2 loss where they blew a lead, and it was natural to think that history was repeating.
This was not the case, however, the score with 8:27 in the second was 42-38, then the Cavaliers closed it on a 22-7 run. That lead was unthreatened for the remainder of the contest. It is good to see the Cavaliers win such a dire game. The hope now is that this was not their best punch.
Losers
The Depth still isn’t showing
It’s hard to necessarily pick nits in a 22-point playoff win, however, I do feel like I am somehow the pessimist of the Fear The Sword staff.
With that out of the way, the depth was not good. The bench only scored 16 points, which can happen in any playoff game. Most minutes and attempts are reserved for six or seven players. The issue right now is that the Cavaliers, at most, are getting good things out of five of their players.
Ty Jerome is still not playing like the Jerome of old. He only logged 13 minutes and you can tell that the leash with him is shorter than ever. He did shoot 1-8 in the limited action, which brings him to a staggering 10-42 (23%) for the series, including 1-12 (8.3%) from three. Big yikes.
You would hope a turning point or statement game is coming soon from the reserves, especially as Mobley and Garland are working their way back from injury.