NBA

Cleveland Cavaliers Playoff Preview: Garland’s Growth, Mitchell’s Return, and Atkinson’s Championship Challenge

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By
Colin Lynch
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Colin Lynch Sports Editor

Colin Lynch covers the NFL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the New England Patriots. His sports coverage has been featured on The Sports Daily and Basketball Insiders, as well as FanSided's Chowder & Champions. A New Hampshire native and former D1 baseball player at St. John's University, Colin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 and enjoyed a four-year professional baseball career.

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Published16 Apr 2025

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Cleveland Cavaliers Playoff Preview: Garland's Growth, Mitchell's Return, and Atkinson’s Championship Challenge

The Cleveland Cavaliers Enter the NBA Playoffs as the East’s Top Seed, But Questions Linger For This Young Squad. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers are set for what they hope will be a defining postseason journey. After finishing the regular season atop the Eastern Conference standings, Kenny Atkinson’s team has earned home-court advantage and carries high expectations into the playoffs. But as history has taught us, regular-season dominance guarantees nothing in the postseason.

The Cavaliers, deep and dynamic, have checked most of the boxes. Yet one question remains front and center: Are they mentally ready for the intensity of playoff basketball?

Darius Garland’s Playoff Moment Has Arrived

At the heart of that question is Darius Garland.

The 24-year-old guard has been a staple of Cleveland’s offense, blending elite shot creation with court vision and quickness. But come playoff time, his defensive limitations become harder to hide. And opponents know it.

On a recent episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor discussed Garland’s readiness for the postseason spotlight.

“I think there remains to be questions about Darius Garland and his readiness for everything that playoff basketball is,” Fedor said. “Even this year, which was an All-Star caliber season for him, there were times that he struggled with physicality. Teams are going to go pick and roll, and they’re going to put Darius in the action over and over and over again.”

Playoff basketball is ruthless. Teams hunt mismatches. Garland, as one of Cleveland’s smallest defenders, will have to fight through screens, absorb contact, and stay connected. His response could swing a series.

Atkinson’s Message: Believe You Belong

Cleveland has the pieces: a deep bench, elite two-way talent in Donovan Mitchell, rim protection from Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and a coaching staff with a plan. But for Atkinson, belief is the final step.

“As far as talent, chemistry, deep bench—we have it all,” Atkinson told Cleveland.com on April 11. “It’s really going to be the mental battle. The question that needs to be answered with this team is if they have a belief level that’s at a championship level… Do you really believe you can be a conference finalist? That’s the first step.”

Atkinson’s challenge is part motivational, part practical. Playoff series are puzzles that shift every game. The belief that you can adjust and rise—when everything around you intensifies—is the difference between advancing and watching from home.

Mitchell’s Return Brings Needed Firepower

While Garland’s readiness is a question, Donovan Mitchell’s health is just as critical. The All-Star guard missed the Cavaliers’ final four regular-season games with an ankle injury but is expected to return for the playoffs.

“I think he’ll be full on with practice,” Atkinson said on April 13. “We’re going to have to scrimmage at some point, probably intersquad with refs, so he’ll participate in that. The most important thing is how we build him up with the ankle rehab and then conditioning.”

Mitchell’s presence brings not just scoring, but experience and leadership. He’s the engine of this Cavaliers offense and the emotional tone-setter for a young team trying to take the next step.

A Proving Ground for a Young Contender

The Cavaliers have waited for this moment. They’ve built a roster capable of making noise deep into May—and possibly June. But now comes the proving ground.

Can Garland step up to the playoff pressure? Can Mitchell stay healthy and lead the way? And perhaps most importantly, can a team built on balance and belief withstand the chaos of postseason basketball?

The answers will begin to unfold on their home floor, with a city ready to believe again.