The Cavaliers have come roaring into March in command of the Eastern Conference, eclipsing 50 wins on the season. But racking up wins isn't the team's only focus. Ideastream Public Media's sports commentator Terry Pluto discusses how the Cavs are preparing for what they hope will be a deep postseason run.
“The Cavs' best season ever was 2009 (when) they were 66-16,” Pluto said. “The Cavs, with 21 games to go, can easily, if they keep playing as they have, win more games than that team ever did.”
Pluto added that the Cavs did not reach the NBA Finals in 2009.
“I think that team kind of push it hard to win all those games,” he said.
Pluto said the approach is different this year under first-year head coach Kenny Atkinson.
“I look at minutes played,” Pluto said. “They're not pushing their guys that hard. To make this work where you're trying to win a lot of games but not play your starters a lot of minutes, you need a good bench.”
Pluto said team president Koby Altman described it as wanting to give Atkinson more tools for his toolbox.
Their stars on the bench have been Ty Jerome and lately, De’Andre Hunter, who was acquired from Atlanta at the NBA trade deadline.
“They go back to the University of Virginia together on a team that won the national title," Pluto said. "So, they're good friends to begin with. Secondly, Virginia players generally come from a system that's defensive oriented (and they) share the ball.”’
Jerome signed a two-year, $5 million contract with Cleveland in the summer of 2023. Injuries kept him limited to just two games last season. On Sunday, he scored 25 points to fuel the Cavs’ come-from-behind win.
“He comes here and he just like blooms,” Pluto said. “Kenny Atkinson had him earlier in his career at Golden State, and he says, ‘My assistants asked me, well, did you see any of this when you were together in Golden State? He goes, no,’” Pluto said.
De’Andre Hunter scored 32 points for the Cavs on Sunday.
“He is an impact, six-foot-eight, forward. (He) can make threes, (he) can really defend, and they are so confident,” Pluto said.
Cavs star Donovan Mitchell has been described as playing unselfish basketball this season, coming off of signing his contract extension.
“Kenny Atkinson sat down with Donovan and laid out this plan," Pluto said. "He said, ‘I'm gonna play you 32 or less minutes a game, which is fewer than you've ever played, and that means actually, you're probably not gonna score as much, but we want to not only have you physically ready for the playoffs, but you could really lead in terms of an example of being unselfish, giving up a part of your game.’”
The Cavaliers are aware that regular season wins do not guarantee playoff success, so they are focused on maintaining their players' health and energy for the postseason.
“In the last 10 years, the team that won the most regular season games only won three titles,” Pluto said. "But part of it, I believe, is because those coaches might've played their starters too much."
The reserves and substitutions become a key to the season in the playoffs.
“It doesn't sound like a big difference in playing, like, 35 or 36 minutes a game or 30, but there's all these kind of stats that show players stay fresher when they're playing around 30 minutes or so," Pluto said. "So, that was the goal, and right now, I think the only guy playing slightly above 30 minutes is Donovan Mitchell, and it's just a little bit. And the rest are 30 or under. And that's exactly where they want them to be. Periodically they'll give a player a day off to rest.”
Despite the reduced minutes for starters, the team is having plenty of success and are fun to watch.
"The play an exciting brand of ball with their shooting, the ball moves," Pluto said. "It's all come together to create great entertainment and a lot of excitement with the playoffs coming."
