Donovan Mitchell’s postseason résumé has one glaring hole, and the Cavaliers have felt the sting of it too. He has reached the playoffs every year of his career, but until last season he had nothing in the conference finals column to show for it.
Cleveland finally helped him clear that hurdle, only to run into a brutal ending against the Knicks. The Cavaliers were overwhelmed in that series, capped by a 37-point loss in Game 4, and the memory still hangs over this group.
That is why this season feels like more than just another run. The Cavs are back with new faces and a younger bench group that expects to matter.
In a crowded Eastern Conference, they believe they can stay in the mix. But that only happens if they learn the lesson that Game One in New York delivered so painfully.
Mitchell called that opener the worst loss of his career, and it is easy to see why. Cleveland led by 22 in the first game, coming in less than 48 hours after a commanding Game 7 win in Detroit. The fact that they had already played 11 games in 21 days made the performance even more impressive at the start.
Then it slipped away. Once that lead vanished, the series never felt the same. The Knicks took over the rest of the matchup and eventually won their first NBA championship in more than 50 years.
No one can say for sure what would have happened if Cleveland had closed out Game One. But there is no question that the collapse changed the direction of the series, and that is exactly the kind of moment this team cannot afford to repeat.
Last season, there were stretches when the Cavs seemed to lose their edge in games, allowing big runs and turning comfortable situations into tense finishes. They usually did enough early, then had to scramble late.
That approach worked in the regular season. In the playoffs, it cost them.
If Cleveland wants to hang around at the top of a loaded East, it has to become a team that finishes. A 20-point lead has to mean something. The new pieces and deeper rotation may bring more energy, but the bigger challenge is building the habits that keep games from slipping away.
In Other News...
Meleek Thomas Is Forcing A Cavaliers Camp Battle Already
Meleek Thomas spent Summer League making a convincing case that the Cavaliers may already have a real backcourt decision on their hands. The rookie guard was handled as a lead guard throughout the event and looked comfortable in that role, pairing aggressive scoring with the kind of playmaking Cleveland wanted to see from a young ball-handler. His production stood out immediately, and so did the efficiency behind it.
For a team heading into training camp with preseason minutes up for grabs, Thomas has already added some heat to the competition. The Cavaliers will get a longer look at how his shot creation and passing translate against NBA-level rotations, and that will matter as they sort out who can earn time behind their established pieces. If Summer League was the opening argument, camp and preseason should tell us how seriously Thomas can force the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Added Young Frontcourt Depth With One Real Opportunity Ahead
The Cavaliers were among the teams making quiet additions as NBA clubs filled out training camp rosters for the 2026-27 season, adding another young frontcourt body to the mix. It is the kind of move that rarely draws much attention outside the building, but these contracts can matter for a team trying to keep its developmental pipeline active while sorting out which prospects deserve a longer look.
Around the league, several undrafted free agents have landed similar chances, with the Spurs bringing in Miles Barnstable and the Nuggets signing Boopie Miller, while other players are angling for opportunities with NBA teams or their G League affiliates after finishing college. For Cleveland, the immediate question is less about the headline and more about who can make the most of one real opening in camp and turn a low-profile invitation into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Donovan Mitchell Just Sent The Cavs A Clear Message
At Cavaliers media day, Donovan Mitchell sounded very much like a player settled in for the long haul. Fresh off his four-year contract extension, the star guard framed the deal as a statement about his commitment to Cleveland and to the city, while also touching on the broader NBA picture around him, including LeBron James heading to Philadelphia and the Cavs addition of Peyton Watson.
Mitchell also pointed to the value of having James Harden through a full training camp, a detail that speaks to how much this group is trying to use every available rep to sharpen its identity. The message from Mitchell was less about looking back and more about what comes next, with Cleveland focused on moving forward and building chemistry before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]