LOS ANGELES — Depending on what happens over the final month of the regular season, Tuesday night’s loss could prove costly.
Opening this lengthy five-city road trip with [a 132-119 setback in Los Angeles](https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2025/03/cavs-reach-unfamiliar-territory-with-132-119-setback-against-los-angeles-clippers.html), the Cavs are no longer in sole possession of the league’s best record — now tied with 56-win Oklahoma City — and their chances of becoming the third team to join the exclusive 70-win club dropped significantly. They now must win all 14 games remaining — a doable feat provided there was enough motivation.
“We’re competitors. We obviously want to be the best of the best and have that record,” Donovan Mitchell said. “But at the end of the day, we want to be healthy and playing the right way when it comes time for the playoffs.”
That wasn’t the case in 2023-24.
Thanks to a variety of uncontrollable factors and a pile of injuries throughout the regular season, the Cavs were mentally and physically drained by springtime, keeping them from giving eventual champion Boston their best shot in the Eastern Conference semifinals. This year has been different. Cleveland is deeper and less reliant on its stars. Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Mitchell are the only three averaging at least 30 minutes, just barely eclipsing that mark. There’s no need to chase wins or jockey for playoff positioning, as the Cavs have already officially secured a playoff spot and built a comfortable six and a half game edge for first place in the East.
At this point, it would take an epic Cleveland collapse to surrender that regular-season throne. Considering Tuesday marked just the second time all season with consecutive losses, it’s almost a certainty that the Cavs will maintain their standing — one that gives them a unique opportunity to maintain a big-picture approach and coast to the finish line.
“The challenge is to be healthy and playing great basketball,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said, echoing the sentiments of his star player and team leader. “We have to build toward that. There’s an art to it.”
Tuesday was a slight step back. Thanks to a lackluster defensive effort, Cleveland surrendered 130 points for just the sixth time all season, allowing the Clippers to shoot 54.8% from the field and 45.7% from 3-point range. Birthday boy Ivica Zubac bullied them in the paint, tallying 28 points and 20 rebounds. In all, the Clippers finished plus-20 on the glass. Both Mitchell and Atkinson lamented an inability to match Los Angeles’ collective physicality and aggression.
“Give them credit, but we have to be better,” Mitchell admitted. “You want to continue to learn and build. This is one of those things. You have to continue to get punched in the mouth at times to figure things out and you’d rather this happen now. This is a continuous learning process. Not hanging our heads. Understand we have to fix some things and be better.”
“They played great,” Atkinson added. “An elite shot-making performance by them and poor defensive performance by us. Our lack of discipline and then second-chance points, we didn’t do the little things. That kind of defensive performance, you’re not surviving in a playoff atmosphere.”
There’s that P word again.
Everything Cleveland does the rest of the way will be with the postseason in mind. Lineups. Combinations. Rotations. Tactics. Rest.
“Keep the main thing the main thing,” Atkinson said. “You win 65 or 70 games and get knocked out in the first round, you’re kind of a bust. That’s just what we’re dealing with.”
Even with the playoffs still four weeks away, Cleveland’s mindset is clear. History will take a back seat. So will every other potential individual accomplishment. Nothing will come at the expense of the primary goal.
“Worry about us,” Garland said. “Just keep trying to get better, harp on the things that we need to get better at and get ready for the playoffs. That’s our mindset. That’s what we’re looking forward to. Just tighten up the screws. I know everything is under a microscope right now since we have been on our run. Two losses. It’s basketball. Everybody loses and everybody wins. Is what it is.”