Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Evan Mobley starred as the Cavs evened up the series against Boston. The Cleveland Cavaliers played their best game in what feels like months with their 118-94 Game 2 win over the Boston Celtics. Nightly Notables 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. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 29 points. All five Cavs starters finished in double figures. And with 21 po ..read more

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images Unlike the first round, Garland’s issues weren’t from not being able to create lean looks. 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 Cleveland Cavaliers needed him most. The stat sheet from Game 1 against the Boston Celtics 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 se ..read more

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images The Cavs couldn’t keep pace in one-sided loss to Celtics. Nobody is giving the Cleveland Cavaliers a chance in their second-round series against the Boston Celtics. Game 1 showed why as the Celtics ran away with a lopsided 120-95 victory. STOCK DOWN Cleveland’s defense 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 ..read more

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Cavs couldn’t contain Boston in Game 1. The Cleveland Cavaliers faced a bombardment from the three-point line to start their series with the Boston Celtics. Nightly Notables 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. 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 ..read more

Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images Mitchell was historic in round one. Don’t take Donovan Mitchell for granted. 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. 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 n ..read more

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports The Cavs not only beat the Magic, they beat some internal demons as well. Franchise-altering victory. A defining moment. Those were some of the descriptions of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ stunning 18-point comeback victory in Game 7 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. The Cavs hadn’t advanced past the first round in the postseason without LeBron James since 1993 when a gall ..read more

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images The Cavs will need something from someone other than Mitchell to back up this claim. Cleveland Cavaliers 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. “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.” That view isn’t shared by many outside of the Cavs organization, and rightfully so. The same flaws ..read more

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports The Cavs exorcised some demons to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Cleveland Cavaliers erased an 18-point deficit to defeat the Orlando Magic 106-94 and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Their reward for grinding out a win and completing the largest comeback in the history of playoff game sevens: the mighty Boston Celtics. But never mind that matchup, for right now. The Cavs did what they set out to do this season: advance out of the first round of the playoffs. Here’s how the market looks heading into the second round of the playoffs. St ..read more

Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images The series starts on Tuesday, May 7. Donovan Mitchell wouldn’t let the Cleveland Cavaliers die in the first round. His 39 points allowed the Cavs to sneak past the Orlando Magic in an ugly first-round series. Their first series victory without LeBron James on the roster since the 1992-93 season. Their reward is a matchup with the Boston Celtics, owners of the best record in the NBA this season. The second round will tip off at TD Garden on Tuesday, May 7. The series is currently scheduled to play out as follows: Game 1: at Boston, Tuesday, May 7 at 7:30 P ..read more

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images Cleveland is onto the second round. Final: Cleveland Cavaliers 106, Orlando Magic 94 in Game 7. That’s a series win for the Cavaliers — their first since LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers after the 2017-18 season. Nightly Notables The Cavs trailed by as many as 18 in this game. They were down 10 at the half. But the Cavs got it done, winning the third quarter 33-15 to wrest control of the game back. Donovan Mitchell, predictably, was the Cavs’ Game 7 hero after scoring 50 in Game 6. Seventeen of his game-high 39 came in the third quarter. Max Strus ..read more