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  2. <feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en">
  3.  <title>Fear The Sword -  All Posts</title>
  4.  <subtitle>The Warriors blew a 3-1 lead - never forget that.</subtitle>
  5.  <icon>https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50189/fts-fav.png</icon>
  6.  <updated>2024-05-09T22:30:52-05:00</updated>
  7.  <id>http://www.fearthesword.com/rss/current/</id>
  8.  <link type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/" rel="alternate"/>
  9.  <entry>
  10.    <published>2024-05-09T22:30:52-05:00</published>
  11.    <updated>2024-05-09T22:30:52-05:00</updated>
  12.    <title>Watching the Market: Cavs at Celtics Game 2</title>
  13.    <content type="html">  
  14.  
  15.    &lt;figure&gt;
  16.      &lt;img alt="Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics - Game Two" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fJH7-XHyOg-4t7Tf-qQEXlVOqjs=/0x0:5747x3831/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73338376/2152263814.0.jpg" /&gt;
  17.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  18.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  19.  
  20.  &lt;p&gt;In Evan Mobley’s postseason breakout, the Cavaliers trounced the Boston Celtics 118-94, heading back to Cleveland with the series tied 1-1. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2 id="BG2th0"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stock Up: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  21. &lt;h3 id="rO4GqJ"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Evan Mobley learned from Game 1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  22. &lt;p id="3nU5Ac"&gt;It appears that Evan Mobley also saw that he left a lot on the table in Game 1 on Tuesday. After looking hesitant early after passing up a switch on Derrick White deferring by kicking it to Okoro, Mobley went to work by scoring on back-to-back looks against Al Horford in the post. Mobley had an assertiveness throughout the game that, in the past, would last for only a quarter.&lt;/p&gt;
  23. &lt;p id="0eebLp"&gt;Mobley was also aggressive in pushing the ball in transition. Grabbing rebounds and upping the tempo was devastating for the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Boston Celtics&lt;/a&gt;’ defense which is at it’s best when able to set up in halfcourt. Having the guards that the &lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com"&gt;Cleveland Cavaliers&lt;/a&gt; possess makes Cleveland a potent transition offense. He was the connective tissue that allowed the guards to be themselves. Mobley finished the game with five assists. &lt;/p&gt;
  24. &lt;p id="Htf9LW"&gt;Defensively, Mobley had his presence felt all over the Celtics’ offense, especially in the paint. Mobley altered looks at the rim and was a one-man wrecking crew, when you compare the Celtics looks in Games 1 and 2 around the rim, it felt night and day with how hard it was for the Celtics to generate clean opportunities around Mobley. &lt;/p&gt;
  25. &lt;p id="K1kQqW"&gt;Mobley finished with a playoff career-high 21 points. Hopefully, this means Mobley has found something in this Celtics series that could transfer back to Cleveland. &lt;/p&gt;
  26. &lt;h3 id="eg72Ih"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Donovan Mitchell the closer &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  27. &lt;p id="lT7ZLx"&gt;Mitchell, took the allotted rest while Mobley was going in the first half and looked spry in his second half. The perimeter was Mitchell’s best friend as he finished 5-7 from three including a statement buzzer-beater over Jayson Tatum to end the third quarter. &lt;/p&gt;
  28. &lt;p id="DQBEBw"&gt;It felt like Mitchell didn’t score out of necessity in game two rather than luxury. In the Orlando series, Mitchell was the lifeline of the Cleveland offense. With Mobley, Garland, and LeVert all having their moments in the game, Mitchell was able to shoot in his spots rather than generate looks solely by himself.&lt;/p&gt;
  29. &lt;p id="NwZsnU"&gt;As Mitchell has his third straight game with 25 points, five assists, and five rebounds the Cavaliers and their team leader appear to be heading in the right direction. &lt;/p&gt;
  30. &lt;h3 id="eRrhWQ"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Caris LeVert leads bench aggression&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  31. &lt;p id="fXYgYu"&gt;In Game 1 it would have taken five points to lead the Cleveland bench in scoring. It was evident that someone needed to take the initiative to bring some kind of punch to match what Boston is capable of offensively. &lt;/p&gt;
  32. &lt;p id="VU1EDb"&gt;Caris LeVert came in on a mission to have an aggressive mindset. LeVert was actively taking on the Celtics in isolation and driving well and often against Boston bigs. LeVert looked like the guy who was in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year during the middle of the regular season. He finished with 21 points on 9 for 17 shooting, getting to the line as well as going 3 for 4. The Cavaliers need every ounce of juice out of their bench. Performances like his in Game 2 were critical. &lt;/p&gt;
  33. &lt;h3 id="nI37B3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tristan Thompson the stabilizing backup big&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  34. &lt;p id="w82o0g"&gt;It felt like for the majority of the first half, the Cavaliers staff was attempting to solve the puzzle of who can hold the backup back minutes. After the fizzling results of having Niang and Morris attempt to fill those minutes and being targeted relentlessly by the Celtics there was little choice but to turn to Tristan Thompson. &lt;/p&gt;
  35. &lt;p id="jl0EhX"&gt;Thompson was fantastic in his minutes in the third quarter. Thompson was aggressive in driving forwards of the Celtics, pushing them off their spot and deterring lanes that were gaping in the absence of Mobley. Thompson doesn’t need to be anything special. He just needed to stabilize the interior defense slightly more than anything that received non-Mobley minutes in the first half. &lt;/p&gt;
  36. &lt;h2 id="L4yZFH"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stock Down: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  37. &lt;h3 id="wspYdj"&gt;
  38. &lt;strong&gt;Small Lineups&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/h3&gt;
  39. &lt;p id="7vpiQF"&gt;Early in the second quarter, J.B. Bickerstaff unveiled one of the more bizarre lineups. Bickerstaff went small with a lineup consisting of Darius Garland, Max Strus, LeVert, Georges Niang, and Marcus Morris. The Celtics essentially had the green light to drive to the rim whenever they pleased. This lineup’s lack of aggressiveness and size allowed a 19-5 run and completely diminished the momentum building off a great close to the first. Hopefully, this lineup and the concept were a one-and-done as the team rolled post this lineup’s death. &lt;/p&gt;
  40.  
  41. </content>
  42.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/9/24153314/watching-the-market-cleveland-cavaliers-at-boston-celtics-game-2"/>
  43.    <id>https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/9/24153314/watching-the-market-cleveland-cavaliers-at-boston-celtics-game-2</id>
  44.    <author>
  45.      <name>Corey Walsh</name>
  46.    </author>
  47.  </entry>
  48.  <entry>
  49.    <published>2024-05-09T20:34:30-05:00</published>
  50.    <updated>2024-05-09T20:34:30-05:00</updated>
  51.    <title>Cavaliers take Game 2 118-94</title>
  52.    <content type="html">  
  53.  
  54.    &lt;figure&gt;
  55.      &lt;img alt="Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics - Game Two" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7B3mvSfXlyh5pQ_nkmPLn6GLXi0=/0x0:4491x2994/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73338300/2152253327.0.jpg" /&gt;
  56.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  57.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  58.  
  59.  &lt;p&gt;Evan Mobley starred as the Cavs evened up the series against Boston. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="gzMGRU"&gt;The Cleveland Cavaliers played their best game in what feels like months with their 118-94 Game 2 win over the Boston Celtics. &lt;/p&gt;
  60. &lt;h3 id="egjluJ"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nightly Notables&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  61. &lt;p id="iT7whb"&gt;Evan Mobley was arguably the best player on the floor in Game 2. Mobley’s 21-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist, 2-block night saw him control the middle of the floor on both ends. He looked as comfortable as he’s ever looked at center in the win. &lt;/p&gt;
  62. &lt;p id="HxmWMB"&gt;Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 29 points. All five Cavs starters finished in double figures. And with 21 points, Caris LeVert outscored the entire Celtics bench by himself. &lt;/p&gt;
  63. &lt;h3 id="xyIBzi"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Well, that happened&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  64. &lt;p id="6KPjwz"&gt;A small thing, but a small thing that tells a story about this game: three-point shooting in the third quarter. &lt;/p&gt;
  65. &lt;p id="zPIEok"&gt;Normally, Boston wins by outshooting teams from three and winning the math battle. In the third, Cleveland flipped this on its head and was 7-10 from three while Boston was 0-8. That helped the Cavs pull away in the third. &lt;/p&gt;
  66. &lt;p id="DEdcWq"&gt;Also: Give J.B. Bickerstaff credit for not going small in the second half after it didn’t work at all in the first. Playing Tristan Thompson instead of Georges Niang was the right call. &lt;/p&gt;
  67. &lt;h3 id="G9EHOA"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Big Picture&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  68. &lt;p id="yJAMgt"&gt;Boston is still the favorite in this series. They lost Game 2 against the Miami Heat in round one in similar circumstances and went on to win the next three. That could happen here — the Celtics, at their best, are that good. &lt;/p&gt;
  69. &lt;p id="JpaObM"&gt;But the Cavs showed that they will be a hard team to knock out, even with Jarrett Allen still out. Their Game 2 win is the best performance the Cavs have had in the playoffs so far. They did it against arguably the best team in the NBA and on the road to boot. For a team that struggled at the end of the regular season, lost Game 1 decisively, and was (to be generous) up-and-down in the first round, this is a massive performance. &lt;/p&gt;
  70. &lt;p id="Npu1wN"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Up next: &lt;/strong&gt;Game 3 is on Saturday back in Cleveland. Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. EST. &lt;/p&gt;
  71.  
  72. </content>
  73.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/9/24152075/final-score-cleveland-cavaliers-take-game-2-118-94"/>
  74.    <id>https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/9/24152075/final-score-cleveland-cavaliers-take-game-2-118-94</id>
  75.    <author>
  76.      <name>Chris Manning</name>
  77.    </author>
  78.  </entry>
  79.  <entry>
  80.    <published>2024-05-09T08:13:19-05:00</published>
  81.    <updated>2024-05-09T08:13:19-05:00</updated>
  82.    <title>Opportunity is there for Garland vs. Boston</title>
  83.    <content type="html">  
  84.  
  85.    &lt;figure&gt;
  86.      &lt;img alt="2024 NBA Playoffs - Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bwdr48kKnmAQGBUj75cu9eT18qo=/0x0:4856x3237/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73336607/2151424546.0.jpg" /&gt;
  87.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  88.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  89.  
  90.  &lt;p&gt;Unlike the first round, Garland’s issues weren’t from not being able to create lean looks.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="39cw3s"&gt;Darius Garland struggled offensively against the Orlando Magic outside of a few bright moments. He had a difficult time playing through their length and physicality which resulted in him disappearing for extended periods when the &lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com"&gt;Cleveland Cavaliers&lt;/a&gt; needed him most.&lt;/p&gt;
  91. &lt;p id="Wp6mWX"&gt;The stat sheet from Game 1 against the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Boston Celtics&lt;/a&gt; tells a similar story. Fourteen points on 6-15 shooting isn’t going to cut it against a team that has the firepower Boston does. Unlike the series against the Magic, there is a pathway for him to turn it around.&lt;/p&gt;
  92. &lt;p id="XVqUjc"&gt;Boston’s switching defense allows stars to play in space but limits how you can get others involved. We saw that in Game 1 as the Cavs finished with just 19 assists. A number that they bettered in 79 regular season games. This speaks to how Boston did a good job of sticking with their opponent on and off-ball.&lt;/p&gt;
  93. &lt;p id="TqKkLc"&gt;This style does open up the floor for your stars to do what they do best. Donovan Mitchell did that as he scored a game-high 33 points. Garland didn’t take advantage of it, but he generated clean looks. Much cleaner than the ones he wasn’t able to convert against Orlando.&lt;/p&gt;
  94. &lt;p id="qZmYmM"&gt;The Magic made sure Garland couldn’t get to the rim. And when he did get there, they threw a ton of bodies his way making it incredibly difficult to finish when he was there. As a result, he finished just &lt;a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4576?season=2023&amp;amp;start=10/1/2023&amp;amp;end=10/15/2024&amp;amp;opponent=22#tab-shooting_accuracy"&gt;50%&lt;/a&gt; of his shots at the rim with just &lt;a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4576?season=2023&amp;amp;start=10/1/2023&amp;amp;end=10/15/2024&amp;amp;opponent=22#tab-shooting_frequency"&gt;26% of his looks&lt;/a&gt; coming there.&lt;/p&gt;
  95. &lt;div id="pHkkEX"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://streamable.com/o/dpz56i?autoplay=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  96. &lt;p id="IZ0TkF"&gt;The extra bodies in the lane allowed his defender to play tight on the perimeter. Even when Garland got mismatches, his opponent was able to be aggressive knowing that there was help on the backside. &lt;/p&gt;
  97. &lt;div id="J7Rk6W"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://streamable.com/o/tn9kb4?autoplay=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  98. &lt;p id="DjJYdL"&gt;These clips stand in stark contrast with his misses in Game 1 in Boston. Garland was able to create daylight that simply didn’t exist in the previous series. &lt;/p&gt;
  99. &lt;div id="vfIbok"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://streamable.com/o/komoem?autoplay=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  100. &lt;p id="HwU09P"&gt;Garland needing to shoot more has been a constant theme. &lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/3/24146327/darius-garland-just-needs-to-shoot-the-ball"&gt;Mitchell has been mentioning it&lt;/a&gt; to varying degrees throughout the season. It’s unreasonable to think that this is magically going to change now which is a damning thing to say about Cleveland’s entire player development. The Cavs’ homegrown players have been unwillingness to step out of their comfort zone even when their opponent forces them into it.&lt;/p&gt;
  101. &lt;p id="9kSqF0"&gt;Garland, though, proved he can generate great looks within his comfort zone in Game 1. Boston doesn’t have nearly the length inside that Orlando does even if they have better wings. There’s far more room on the drops and less help on the backside. This allows Garland to find daylight for jump shots and getting to the rim even though he didn’t do that much on Tuesday.&lt;/p&gt;
  102. &lt;p id="Ab0vJs"&gt;The Cavs need their three perimeter ball handlers to consistently step up if they want to make this a series. At the very least, both members of the backcourt need to outplay Derrick White. Mitchell did his part while Garland didn’t. &lt;/p&gt;
  103. &lt;p id="ZSGmrB"&gt;Even though this is the same issue as the first round, there’s a clear path to doing so. Garland just needs to break out of the slump he’s in.&lt;/p&gt;
  104.  
  105. </content>
  106.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/9/24152012/opportunity-is-there-for-darius-garland-vs-the-boston-celtics"/>
  107.    <id>https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/9/24152012/opportunity-is-there-for-darius-garland-vs-the-boston-celtics</id>
  108.    <author>
  109.      <name>Jackson Flickinger</name>
  110.    </author>
  111.  </entry>
  112.  <entry>
  113.    <published>2024-05-07T22:00:00-05:00</published>
  114.    <updated>2024-05-07T22:00:00-05:00</updated>
  115.    <title>Watching the Market: Cavaliers at Celtics Game 1</title>
  116.    <content type="html">  
  117.  
  118.    &lt;figure&gt;
  119.      &lt;img alt="2024 NBA Playoffs - Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EDo7Z1daBpvJG0qcIeYS5l0UiQE=/0x0:7217x4811/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73333874/2151422534.0.jpg" /&gt;
  120.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  121.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  122.  
  123.  &lt;p&gt;The Cavs couldn’t keep pace in one-sided loss to Celtics.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="c49oD1"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40098272/nba-playoff-picks-experts-celtics-cavaliers-thunder-mavericks-conference-semifinal-matchups"&gt;Nobody&lt;/a&gt; is giving the &lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com"&gt;Cleveland Cavaliers&lt;/a&gt; a chance in their second-round series against the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Boston Celtics&lt;/a&gt;. Game 1 showed why as the Celtics ran away with a lopsided 120-95 victory.&lt;/p&gt;
  124. &lt;h2 id="5f6MKQ"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;STOCK DOWN&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  125. &lt;p id="sJbSBh"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cleveland’s defense&lt;/strong&gt; wasn’t great. I’m not sure how that changes without Jarrett Allen and Dean Wade. Boston’s offense is electric. They have shooters at every position that can also take advantage of mismatches on the perimeter. It’s the worst possible matchup for a defense that thrives on packing the paint and contesting shots at the rim with their bigs.&lt;/p&gt;
  126. &lt;p id="cJN7fA"&gt;The Cavaliers need to do a better job of running the Celtics off the three-point line. You can’t allow Boston to take 46 threes.&lt;/p&gt;
  127. &lt;p id="eio4BY"&gt;There seemed to be some hangover from the Orlando Magic series where they were baiting the opposition to take those shots. Here, the Cavs need to bait their opponent to put the ball on the floor and trust the help and rotations to clean up the mess.&lt;/p&gt;
  128. &lt;p id="furq2y"&gt;The Cavs probably aren’t going to hold this team under 100 points all series. That’s okay. But, they need to find a way to make it more difficult than they did here.&lt;/p&gt;
  129. &lt;p id="UTaZMr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anyone trying to guard Jaylen Brown&lt;/strong&gt; struggled to do so. Brown was hitting from all three levels while also easily getting to the foul line en route to 32 points. There’s not a whole lot you can do when someone of Brown’s skill level has it going like he did. Even Okoro’s excellent defense provided little resistance. Good offense always beats good defense.&lt;/p&gt;
  130. &lt;p id="gLg8XC"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sam Merrill&lt;/strong&gt; has been yanked into and out of the rotation all year. He got minutes in the first and second half here and didn’t take advantage as he went 0-5 from the field with no points.&lt;/p&gt;
  131. &lt;p id="K6DztZ"&gt;Boston’s switching makes it hard for his off-ball movement to be as effective as it needs to be. That said, he needs to capitalize on the chances he gets. Merrill didn’t do that in Game 1.&lt;/p&gt;
  132. &lt;p id="s6I2jP"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Evan Mobley finishing inside in the first half&lt;/strong&gt; wasn’t what they needed in this matchup. The Celtics opened up with Jayson Tatum guarding Mobley and Al Horford on Isaac Okoro. From there, Boston switched liberally on screens which allowed for greater mismatches than Tatum. Mobley wasn’t able to capitalize on any of them at the start.&lt;/p&gt;
  133. &lt;p id="nkJqkJ"&gt;Mobley missed push shots at the rim with smaller defenders on him in the first half. After that, he willfully passed out of mismatches which plays right into what Boston wants.&lt;/p&gt;
  134. &lt;p id="tz18gF"&gt;Mobley isn’t the mismatch killer someone like Jarrett Allen is. Boston’s defenders are also comfortable guarding all positions given their defensive philosophy. That said, this is an area Mobley needs to be flat out better in. The Cavs don’t have a ton of advantages on the offensive side of the court. This should be one.&lt;/p&gt;
  135. &lt;h2 id="uqYuQb"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;STOCK UP&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  136. &lt;p id="5Rrt4r"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Evan Mobley might have found something in the second half&lt;/strong&gt;. He was attacking the mismatches he was shying away from with much more force which allowed him to pick up 13 points in the final two quarters while going 6-7 from the field.&lt;/p&gt;
  137. &lt;p id="Wturo1"&gt;The Cavs need an easy button on offense or at the very least, a secondary option that can give them good shots besides Mitchell. Mobley was that in the second half.&lt;/p&gt;
  138. &lt;p id="n7aH1G"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Isaac Okoro moving off ball&lt;/strong&gt; helped neutralize the effects of having Horford guard him at the start of the game. He was active in setting in screens and moving to open space. Once he got there, he confidentially took the shots the defense was asking him to take.&lt;/p&gt;
  139. &lt;p id="TGtel5"&gt;The Celtics will live with Okoro beating them. At the same time, they need him to confidentially be a part of the offense if he is out there. Okoro did that in Game 1. &lt;/p&gt;
  140. &lt;p id="alBI4U"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Donovan Mitchell&lt;/strong&gt;’s stock keeps rising even after putting on a masterful performance in the first round. He didn’t will the Cavs to victory on Tuesday, but tried his hardest to do so as he put up a game-high 33 points to go along with five helpers in the loss.&lt;/p&gt;
  141. &lt;p id="uhAxnm"&gt;There aren’t a lot of pathways to a Cleveland victory in this series. All of them do however include Mitchell being the best player in the series. He showed he can do so.&lt;/p&gt;
  142.  
  143. </content>
  144.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24151577/watching-the-market-cleveland-cavaliers-at-boston-celtics-game-1"/>
  145.    <id>https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24151577/watching-the-market-cleveland-cavaliers-at-boston-celtics-game-1</id>
  146.    <author>
  147.      <name>Jackson Flickinger</name>
  148.    </author>
  149.  </entry>
  150.  <entry>
  151.    <published>2024-05-07T20:27:31-05:00</published>
  152.    <updated>2024-05-07T20:27:31-05:00</updated>
  153.    <title>Cavaliers drop Game 1 120-95</title>
  154.    <content type="html">  
  155.  
  156.    &lt;figure&gt;
  157.      &lt;img alt="Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics - Game One" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7LRec1fHmCZT2BVAYd1ik8PGSwg=/0x0:3132x2088/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73333754/2151965490.0.jpg" /&gt;
  158.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  159.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  160.  
  161.  &lt;p&gt;Cavs couldn’t contain Boston in Game 1. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="sbRz70"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com"&gt;Cleveland Cavaliers&lt;/a&gt; faced a bombardment from the three-point line to start their series with the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Boston Celtics&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  162. &lt;h3 id="egjluJ"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nightly Notables&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  163. &lt;p id="xyIBzi"&gt;Donovan Mitchell continued his prolific scoring streak by pouring in 33 points on 12-25 shooting. This marked Mitchell’s third straight game of 30+ points and he has put up a combined 122 points across his last three games. &lt;/p&gt;
  164. &lt;p id="yeSx9O"&gt;Evan Mobley provided some support that came too little too late, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the second half. Darius Garland finished with just 14 points, something that won’t cut it in this series. Mobley and Garland will need to be more aggressive if Cleveland wants to keep up with Boston offensively. &lt;/p&gt;
  165. &lt;p id="pE2HO0"&gt;As for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White led the way. White and Brown tag-teamed the Cavs for 57 points on 11-18 three-point shooting. Two dynamic wings, Brown and White are sure to give the Cavaliers problems on both ends of the floor throughout this matchup. &lt;/p&gt;
  166. &lt;p id="XnCkAE"&gt;Overall, Boston buried 18 three-pointers behind a style of play that is drastically different from the one Cleveland just faced against the Magic. The pace and space of this series is something the Cavs will struggle to match. &lt;/p&gt;
  167. &lt;h3 id="G9EHOA"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Big Picture&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  168. &lt;p id="yJAMgt"&gt;The Cavaliers don’t have many bodies to throw at Boston’s collection of perimeter scorers. Max Strus, Donovan Mitchell, and Darius Garland are too short to close out effectively on shooters. If Dean Wade and Jarrett Allen remain sidelined, the Celtics might have free reign to do thisagain in Game 2. &lt;/p&gt;
  169. &lt;p id="Vtdd2g"&gt;On the other end of the floor, the Cavaliers looked more comfortable now that they were not facing the oversized frontcourt of Orlando. While this made it easier for the Cavs to generate offense, it wasn’t enough as only Mitchell and Mobley scored above 15 points. &lt;/p&gt;
  170. &lt;p id="DkE6Xx"&gt;It seems unlikely Cleveland can keep a lid on the fast-paced, fully-spaced Celtics. That means they will have to match that firepower with their own. So far, the odds are not in their favor. &lt;/p&gt;
  171.  
  172. </content>
  173.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24151667/final-score-cleveland-cavaliers-drop-game-1-120-95"/>
  174.    <id>https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24151667/final-score-cleveland-cavaliers-drop-game-1-120-95</id>
  175.    <author>
  176.      <name>Tony Pesta</name>
  177.    </author>
  178.  </entry>
  179.  <entry>
  180.    <published>2024-05-07T12:00:00-05:00</published>
  181.    <updated>2024-05-07T12:00:00-05:00</updated>
  182.    <title>Don’t take Donovan Mitchell for granted</title>
  183.    <content type="html">  
  184.  
  185.    &lt;figure&gt;
  186.      &lt;img alt="2024 NBA Playoffs - Orlando Magic v Cleveland Cavaliers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zSvPsHTMzBll7XrajlDi_GHd-vY=/0x0:5229x3486/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73332848/2151087283.0.jpg" /&gt;
  187.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  188.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  189.  
  190.  &lt;p&gt;Mitchell was historic in round one. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="hNBli8"&gt;Don’t take Donovan Mitchell for granted. &lt;/p&gt;
  191. &lt;p id="TgMwqH"&gt;In a close, competitive series between two of the best defensive teams in the league, each bucket scored was critical. For the Cleveland Cavaliers, that meant relying on their offensive superstar to get them over the top. What followed was exactly that. &lt;/p&gt;
  192. &lt;p id="snVk8d"&gt;Mitchell scored 14 of his team-high 28 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5 to give his squad a 3-2 series edge. In Game 6, his herculean 50 points were not enough to get them over the top. (That’s what happens when no one else scores in the fourth quarter.) But less than two days later in Game 7, Mitchell poured in another 39 points to close out the series. &lt;/p&gt;
  193. &lt;p id="0ZRmAk"&gt;His 89 combined points in Games 6 and 7 were the second most in league history, one point shy of matching Allen Iverson who recorded 90 points in the final two games of the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only other player in league history to shoot above 60% on 35+ shot attempts in a playoff game. &lt;/p&gt;
  194. &lt;p id="Q1VhRm"&gt;Part of what made Mitchell’s performance so special was his physical condition. Limited with a knee injury that neutralized his vertical lift, Mitchell compensated by bulldozing his way to the rim to convert some of the wildest running floaters. His performance was a reminder that, on top of his physical gifts and skill, what makes Mitchell special is his grit and toughness. To grind the way he did is proof of his drive. &lt;/p&gt;
  195. &lt;p id="dpsBvI"&gt;The Cavaliers traded for Mitchell to be their heartbeat offensively. That’s what he was against Orlando. &lt;/p&gt;
  196. &lt;p id="6DtLLr"&gt;The difference in Game 6 and 7 wasn’t Mitchell’s greatness, though. He was equally dominant —if not &lt;em&gt;more &lt;/em&gt;dominant — in the game Cleveland lost on the road. The deciding factor was the help he received in Game 7 that was not present in the game before. &lt;/p&gt;
  197. &lt;p id="pBqApU"&gt;Now that Orlando was preoccupied with slowing Mitchell’s attacks on the rim — an opportunity emerged for the rest of the Cavaliers to step up. Mitchell’s drive-and-kick game finally began to open Cleveland’s shooters. His teammates just had to make shots and attack closeouts.&lt;/p&gt;
  198. &lt;p id="ujtylN"&gt;After Mitchell scored all 18 of his team’s points in the closing quarter of Game 6, he was matched in fourth quarter scoring by Evan Mobley (7 points) and outscored by Darius Garland (10 points) in the final 12 minutes of Game 7. Max Strus and Caris LeVert each provided double-digit jolts in separate quarters as the Cavaliers rallied back from an 18-point deficit to complete the largest comeback in Game 7 history. This timely support made it so that Mitchell’s heroic scoring efforts would not be in vain once again. &lt;/p&gt;
  199. &lt;p id="SP2inH"&gt;Mitchell’s leadership was on display throughout. He wouldn’t allow his teammates to sulk in the huddle — encouraging a slumping Garland to keep shooting the ball — and then rushing to hug him after Garland buried a backbreaking three-pointer late in the game. &lt;/p&gt;
  200. &lt;div id="bc89Qx"&gt;
  201. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;
  202. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Darius Garland had been struggling all game and drains a huge three. Donovan Mitchell hypes him up. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This is what makes sports so special is moments like this. &lt;a href="https://t.co/4PfBlAPEP2"&gt;pic.twitter.com/4PfBlAPEP2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— Grace (@gracesporttakes) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/gracesporttakes/status/1787202951208907139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;May 5, 2024&lt;/a&gt;
  203. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  204. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  205.  
  206. &lt;/div&gt;
  207. &lt;p id="2kxx9B"&gt;The Cavaliers envisioned this level of greatness from Mitchell when he joined the organization in 2022. So he understood what was at stake, not only for himself after last season’s collapse, but for the franchise that so desperately needed to see an ounce of success after investing so much into this roster. It’s hard to imagine many players were facing more pressure this postseason than Mitchell. &lt;/p&gt;
  208. &lt;p id="Z6XUG8"&gt;Mitchell’s greatness was rising to the challenge, to be the player the Cavs traded for. His prolific scoring single-handedly kept the Cavs alive against Orlando. That same prowess will give them a fighter’s chance in Boston if his teammates find a way to support him in key moments as they did in Game 7. &lt;/p&gt;
  209.  
  210. </content>
  211.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24150212/dont-take-donovan-mitchell-for-granted"/>
  212.    <id>https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24150212/dont-take-donovan-mitchell-for-granted</id>
  213.    <author>
  214.      <name>Tony Pesta</name>
  215.    </author>
  216.  </entry>
  217.  <entry>
  218.    <published>2024-05-07T11:00:00-05:00</published>
  219.    <updated>2024-05-07T11:00:00-05:00</updated>
  220.    <title>What getting out of the first round means for the Cavs</title>
  221.    <content type="html">  
  222.  
  223.    &lt;figure&gt;
  224.      &lt;img alt="NBA: Playoffs-Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4tvdCkPk3Zc0lf_4noXgy7wu3DY=/0x0:5307x3538/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73332643/usa_today_23197964.0.jpg" /&gt;
  225.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  226.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  227.  
  228.  &lt;p&gt;The Cavs not only beat the Magic, they beat some internal demons as well. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="JuvrQS"&gt;Franchise-altering victory. A defining moment. &lt;/p&gt;
  229. &lt;p id="JObu8i"&gt;Those were some of the descriptions of the &lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com"&gt;Cleveland Cavaliers&lt;/a&gt;’ stunning &lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/5/24149668/final-score-cleveland-cavaliers-beat-orlando-magic-106-94-in-game-7"&gt;18-point comeback victory in Game 7&lt;/a&gt; against the Orlando Magic, propelling them to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was an emotional roller coaster of a game, with the first half feeling like a funeral before having the script flipped in the second. &lt;/p&gt;
  230. &lt;p id="OYwljt"&gt;The Cavs hadn’t advanced past the first round in the postseason without LeBron James since 1993 when a gallon of gas was $1.15 and a loaf of bread was 75 cents. Mark Price and Brad Daughtery patrolled the court for the Cavs then and got swept by Michael Jordan in the second round.&lt;/p&gt;
  231. &lt;p id="nPpqNh"&gt;In short, it's been a while since the Cavs have done this without James. &lt;/p&gt;
  232. &lt;p id="sg2MzA"&gt;There’s also a reason that people were calling Game 7 against the Magic potentially franchise-shifting. Cleveland ended the season in a discouraging fashion. They looked like a team with no poise or cohesiveness. Orlando didn’t just beat them three times in the series, they destroyed them. Darius Garland looked like a shell of himself. Jarrett Allen was out, again. Rumors surrounding Donovan Mitchell’s future swirled constantly, and those winds picked up with every loss. The big offseason moves of Max Strus and Georges Niang were doing more harm than good while on the court. And they were down by as many as 18 points, at home, in a do-or-die scenario. &lt;/p&gt;
  233. &lt;p id="6b2Vin"&gt;And yet, despite all of those things, they found a way to win. &lt;/p&gt;
  234. &lt;p id="UoxRWx"&gt;Of all of the flaws of this Cavaliers roster, of which there are several, the most disappointing one was that they didn’t seem hungry. &lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/4/28/24143602/the-cleveland-cavaliers-dont-want-to-win-enough"&gt;They didn’t want to win enough&lt;/a&gt;. They even tanked the last game of the regular season to play an Orlando team that they felt was more beatable. That was almost an embarrassingly bad decision. &lt;/p&gt;
  235. &lt;p id="LuBesv"&gt;Heads would have rolled had the Cavs lost and fizzled out of the first round for the second year in a row. J.B. Bickerstaff likely would be cleaning out his office right now. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman may have been on the chopping block too. The long-term future of everyone on the roster would have been called into question. A loss could have triggered a complete reactor meltdown.&lt;/p&gt;
  236. &lt;p id="uMtcib"&gt;Instead, the Cavs manifested some things they haven’t in quite some time. They showed determination. They showed mental toughness. They showed a desire to win. They showed a weary fan base that they were capable of something more. Maybe most importantly, they proved some things to themselves. &lt;/p&gt;
  237. &lt;p id="1BxRIb"&gt;This win for the Cavs was more than just advancing past the first round. It was a huge sigh of relief for an organization that, like a kid in college, is trying to make it out on its own. Mitchell proved that he doesn’t disappear in the playoffs. Allen and Evan Mobley, criticized for shrinking in the playoffs last season, stepped up in big ways. Garland’s confidence, which was shaken, came back in the second half of Game 7. &lt;/p&gt;
  238. &lt;p id="oi6GRU"&gt;Whatever happens in the second round against the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Boston Celtics&lt;/a&gt;, the Cavs did what they set out to do: make it out of the first round. But Mitchell isn’t satisfied, and neither should the Cavs. &lt;/p&gt;
  239. &lt;p id="51kvnh"&gt;After a franchise-altering win, the Cavs are hopefully in the right mindset. &lt;/p&gt;
  240. &lt;p id="AzIqgc"&gt;“I don’t mean this disrespectful, but it doesn’t really mean much,” &lt;a href="https://apnews.com/article/magic-cavaliers-score-nba-playoffs-a1aedd34fb7f7da7e899cb1af9737986"&gt;Mitchell said after Game 7&lt;/a&gt;. “We didn’t come in just to win the first round. We accomplished one goal, now we have to do it again. That’s the mindset.”&lt;/p&gt;
  241. &lt;p id="9j80Bc"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  242.  
  243. </content>
  244.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24151183/what-getting-out-of-the-first-round-means-for-the-cleveland-cavaliers"/>
  245.    <id>https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24151183/what-getting-out-of-the-first-round-means-for-the-cleveland-cavaliers</id>
  246.    <author>
  247.      <name>Mike Anguilano</name>
  248.    </author>
  249.  </entry>
  250.  <entry>
  251.    <published>2024-05-07T07:00:00-05:00</published>
  252.    <updated>2024-05-07T07:00:00-05:00</updated>
  253.    <title>Mitchell believes Cavs are contenders even though they haven’t proven it</title>
  254.    <content type="html">  
  255.  
  256.    &lt;figure&gt;
  257.      &lt;img alt="Orlando Magic v Cleveland Cavaliers - Game Seven" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/61pTc0eo1wTNRmQKGN41BFmgVJM=/0x0:8256x5504/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73332029/2151621637.0.jpg" /&gt;
  258.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  259.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  260.  
  261.  &lt;p&gt;The Cavs will need something from someone other than Mitchell to back up this claim.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="bvSpsi"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.fearthesword.com"&gt;Cleveland Cavaliers&lt;/a&gt; guard Donovan Mitchell has not shied away from what he believes about himself or his team this postseason. His high expectations held constant after the Game 7 victory over the Orlando Magic.&lt;/p&gt;
  262. &lt;p id="QzJhyo"&gt;“We are a team that can hang and play with the best and be one of the best,” Mitchell said. “I firmly believe that. . . We know who we are, a team that is a contender.”&lt;/p&gt;
  263. &lt;p id="wJokGN"&gt;That view isn’t shared by many outside of the Cavs organization — and rightfully so. The same flaws from last postseason showed throughout the first round against an inexperienced Magic&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;team that the Cavs likely should have&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;put away quickly. Instead, the supporting cast around Mitchell crumbled. An issue that was only amplified by Jarrett Allen’s absence. Mitchell had to single-handily carry the Cavs across the finish line. &lt;/p&gt;
  264. &lt;p id="McnLKe"&gt;That isn’t how contenders handle their business in the first round. &lt;/p&gt;
  265. &lt;p id="khKOTn"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;“We won one series,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know how else to say [this], like, this is great and I’m happy that we did it, but we haven’t accomplished anything yet.”&lt;/p&gt;
  266. &lt;p id="n0WrYu"&gt;The Cavs are in the midst of what seems like a no-win situation. They were expected to beat the Magic to redeem&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;their collapse from&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;the previous season, but have only an outside shot against the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Boston Celtics&lt;/a&gt;, who finished with the best record in the NBA.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;Cleveland&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;will also need to prove they can win on the road, something this core has not done together, going as far back as their 2022 Play-In loss to the &lt;a href="https://www.netsdaily.com"&gt;Brooklyn Nets&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  267. &lt;p id="Vm9wbJ"&gt;“For us coming into Boston, I’m pretty sure everybody thinks they’re gonna come in and kick our ass,” Mitchell said. “So for us to continue to stay level-headed throughout and not listen to y’all and just be who we are.”&lt;/p&gt;
  268. &lt;p id="Z31PIZ"&gt;Cleveland’s front office went all in on the Mitchell trade with the idea of him taking them over the top in the playoffs. He did that against Orlando but will need some help to make the series competitive.&lt;/p&gt;
  269. &lt;p id="WBy3iA"&gt;The supporting cast has been inconsistent at best on the offensive side of the floor. Darius Garland can’t stop disappearing for quarters at a time, Evan Mobley and Isaac Okoro have been excellent defensively. But they haven’t been as good on offense and the bench has provided little to no support. Mitchell wasn’t brought in to rescue them from a disaster but to serve as the cherry on top of a promising core. He’s been tasked with doing the former this postseason.&lt;/p&gt;
  270. &lt;p id="Yf20ms"&gt;Mitchell has made it clear that he wants to compete for championships. He isn’t content with moral victories in the second round. Whether or not the Cavs can sell him on the idea that they are actually competing for something more will likely determine Mitchell’s future. &lt;/p&gt;
  271. &lt;p id="qt5bkP"&gt;A victory over the Magic doesn’t do that. Beating a team like Boston could.&lt;/p&gt;
  272. &lt;p id="ihlggw"&gt;“It doesn’t mean anything,” Mitchell said of winning Game 7. “We accomplished one goal, now we have to do it again. That’s the mindset. We could celebrate for a few hours, but we ain’t got time to do all that. When they traded for me it [wasn’t] just to win a first-round series, you know? It’s to continue to push and move forward.”&lt;/p&gt;
  273.  
  274. </content>
  275.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24150434/donovan-mitchell-believes-cleveland-cavaliers-are-contenders-even-though-they-havent-proven-it"/>
  276.    <id>https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/5/7/24150434/donovan-mitchell-believes-cleveland-cavaliers-are-contenders-even-though-they-havent-proven-it</id>
  277.    <author>
  278.      <name>Jackson Flickinger</name>
  279.    </author>
  280.  </entry>
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