Getty Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For the first time since 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be playing playoff basketball, thanks to Sunday night’s blowout win over the Houston Rockets. Even more impressive, Cleveland will appear in the postseason without LeBron James for the first time since 1998 — the same year starting center Jarrett Allen was born.
Believe it or not, the Cavs’ four-season playoff drought is the third-longest active streak, behind the Sacramento Kings (16 years) and the Charlotte Hornets (six years).
No one knows what an excruciating trip wandering around the desert it’s been for Cleveland more than Darius Garland. Drafted in the aftermath of James’ decision to join the Los Angeles Lakers, this season marks Garland’s first time in the postseason.
After defeating the Rockets, Garland shared the brutally candid story of Cleveland’s rebuild.
“It was really tough,” Garland told cleveland.com. “I’m lowkey speechless because I’ve been here for the longest and I’ve seen it from the mud. It’s great to be here now. It’s a step in the right direction. But not done yet.”
The flip side of the excitement is a painful truth: the Cavaliers are relative playoff novices.
Donovan Mitchell Gets Honest About Cavaliers Experience
Though they’re the No. 4 seed, they lack the collective playoff experience that accompanies expectations of a deep run. The three teams ahead of them — the Bucks, Celtics, and Sixers — all feature star players who have played postseason basketball.
Garland, Isaac Okoro, and Evan Mobley all will make their playoff debuts next month. Allen has appeared in two series with the Brooklyn Nets, both losses.
Even Donovan Mitchell, who was a playoff regular with the Utah Jazz, has never played beyond the conference semifinals.
“Obviously, it’s no secret that we lack the experience,” Mitchell said, per Chris Fedor of cleveland.com. “When people talk, we’re not in their top 3 or whatever it is, and that’s fine, but the biggest thing for us is we believe we can not just make the playoffs but make a deep run. It’s all a learning experience and about continuing to get better, so, when we get to the playoffs, whatever seed we are, we’re ready.”
Regardless, Cleveland’s rebuild got them to this point. And it’s been an unquestioned success.
JB Bickerstaff Calls Out Cavaliers Front Office
Critical to that rebuild has been the organization hitting on draft picks and trades.
Prying Allen away from the Nets during the first James Harden trade was a stroke of genius. Garland and Mobley look the part of franchise cornerstones, at minimum. Pulling the trigger on Mitchell was a perfect win-now move to add offensive firepower to an already stout defense.
After defeating the Rockets, head coach JB Bickerstaff called out the front office for setting the tone of Cleveland’s rebuild from the top down.
“I think organizationally this is a big deal to come from where we came from and every year continue to take steps in the right direction,” Bickerstaff said after the game, per the Cavaliers’ official YouTube channel. “All the hard work that people in this organization have put in to help get us here should be acknowledged. This is top-down. This is something that has been done as a collective. We told the guys to enjoy this, but we ain’t done yet.”
The Cavaliers take on the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.