When he's not elevating the Cleveland Cavaliers with multiple winning streaks or empowering teammates, Donovan Mitchell often talks with friends about an irresistible topic that NBA fans have discussed throughout the regular season.
Which team will win the NBA championship?
"It's a fun conversation," Mitchell said. "I'm just blessed to be on some good teams. The biggest thing is what we do with it and how can we continue to be our best selves."
The Cavaliers showed the best version of themselves in a double-digit win Sunday against Mitchell's former team, the Utah Jazz. Unlike when Mitchell led the Jazz to five consecutive playoff appearances during his tenure there (2017-22), however, Utah (16-56) currently is competing in the Tanking for Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. Before their recent win, the Cavaliers (57-14) labored through a season-worst four-game losing streak.
Mitchell declined to share details on what he and his friends have opined about the NBA championship landscape. Their conversation itself, however, reveals enough about the Cavaliers' identity.
The Cavaliers have a five-game lead over the Boston Celtics (52-19) for the Eastern Conference's best record. The Cavaliers have recorded three double-digit winning streaks this season (15, 12, 16). The Cavaliers featured the most All-Stars selected this season out of any team with three (Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley). The Cavaliers boast the NBA's most productive offense (122.3 points per game) and 10th-best defense (111.9 points allowed).
Yet, Cleveland faces questions about whether its regular-season dominance will translate into postseason success.
"You can win 65 or 70 games and we get knocked out in the first round, you're kind of a bust," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. "That's what we're dealing with."
Atkinson maintained that he hasn't talked to his players directly about this issue for a simple reason. "They know what's at stake; they know the history," Atkinson said.
What the history reveals: NBA regular-season success or failure does not consistently foreshadow recent championship outcomes.
LeBron James helped the Cavaliers win their lone NBA championship during the 2016 NBA Finals by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against the Golden State Warriors after they set the NBA regular-season record for most wins (73-9). After holding the Western Conference's best record in the 2017-18 season, the Houston Rockets (65-17) flamed out in a decisive Game 7 of the Western Conference finals against the defending champions (Warriors).
After challenging the Milwaukee Bucks to six games in the 2021 NBA Finals, the Phoenix Suns secured the Western Conference's top seed for the 2022 playoffs only to squander 2-0 and 3-2 second-round series leads to the Dallas Mavericks. During Mitchell's time in Utah, the Jazz finished with the Western Conference's best record only to lose in the first round in consecutive seasons (2020, '21).
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell controls the ball against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on Friday. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
In fairness, 52 of the 70 NBA championship teams held the No. 1 seed. This season, the Cavaliers could face a team that wants to defend its championship (Boston), one that features a leading regular-season MVP candidate (Oklahoma City, Denver) or made a dramatic trade deadline move (Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers). That leaves Cleveland with enough perspective on whether it cares about maintaining its No. 1 seed with 11 regular-season games remaining.
"You want to be healthy and playing the right way," Mitchell said. "If that comes with it, then yeah. We're competitors. We obviously want to be the best of the best. But at the end of the day, we want to be healthy and we want to be playing the right way and taking these tests."
Up until Sunday's win over the Jazz, the Cavaliers spent the past week struggling to pass their test.
They lost in crunch time to a less serious playoff contender (Orlando) and to a team expected to miss the play-in tournament entirely (Sacramento). They struggled to match their opponent's physicality in one game (Los Angeles Clippers). They labored against an underachieving team battered with injuries and chemistry issues (Phoenix).
Through it all, some troubling trends have emerged. In half of those games, the Cavaliers lost the rebounding battle. In three of those losses, the Cavaliers logged double-digit turnovers. In all of those losses, Mitchell struggled. During that stretch, Mitchell averaged 18.5 points while shooting 29.6% from the field and 16.2% from 3.
"Put this on me," Mitchell told reporters after Cleveland's loss in Phoenix. "When your leader ain't doing [expletive], this is what happens. Yeah, we have to guard better and rebound and stuff like that. But if I'm not going to be who I need to be, then we're not going to get to where we want to get to."
Mitchell would know from experience. The Jazz squandered a 2-0 series lead to the Clippers in the 2021 Western Conference semifinals amid overlapping injuries to himself and Mike Conley. Utah coughed up a 3-1 series cushion to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of 2020 Western Conference playoffs after struggling to counter Nikola Jokić's dominance and Jamal Murray's clutch play.
Cavaliers swingman De'Andre Hunter and guard Darius Garland celebrate after a 3-point shot against the Jazz at Delta Center on Sunday night. Peter Creveling-Imagn Images Peter Creveling-Imagn Images
Other top-seeded teams that fell short in the playoffs can chalk up to tangible shortcomings. The 2016 Warriors missed Draymond Green for a league-imposed suspension in Game 5 for exceeding the flagrant foul limit and Andrew Bogut in Game 6 and 7 with a left knee injury. Chris Paul suffered injuries with the 2018 Rockets and the 2022 Suns.
All of those teams also wilted in clutch moments.
"Details are the main thing in the playoffs," Garland said. "It's always the little things that win you that series or win you that game. That's a group thing that we really have to lock into. Just tighten up the screws, and I think we'll be fine."
That's because the Cavaliers hardly experienced much turbulence before last week.
After losing in the second round last year to the Celtics, the Cavaliers fired J.B. Bickerstaff and hired Atkinson in hopes that his strong reputation with player development and offensive systems could fuel them in the playoffs. The Cavaliers secured extensions with Mitchell (three years, $150 million), Mobley (five years, $224 million) and Jarrett Allen (three years, $91 million).
"J.B. did a heck of a job," Atkinson said. "Obviously, I was watching film and overblown by the talent. But I do think there were some tweaks to make in the rotations."
Those tweaks have made a big difference. Atkinson reduced minutes to his core players to ensure a stronger bench. Players credited Atkinson's system for ensuring stronger cutting and spacing. Atkinson incorporated zone defenses to confuse opponents and keep his players fresh.
That enabled the Cavaliers to become only the fourth team in NBA history begin a season with a 15-game winning streak. Atkinson projected that "is when we all started to believe this team could do something special." They sure have. The Cavaliers entered Sunday's game with the NBA's best offense and most efficient 3-point shooting (38.7%). They joined the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks as the lone teams in NBA history to have three separate 12-game winning streaks. They rank second in double-digit wins (38). That has happened because the Cavaliers have six players that average double-digit scoring: Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, De'Andre Hunter, Allen and Ty Jerome.
Despite averaging a career-low 31.4 minutes in hopes of maximizing his health, Mitchell made his sixth All-Star appearance. After missing 25 games last season to heal a broken jaw, Garland became a second-time All-Star and proved he can co-exist with Mitchell just fine. Mobley has strengthened his chances to win Defensive Player of the Year, while expanding his 3-point game. Allen has complemented Mobley on defense while willingly sacrificing his scoring. Despite that balanced offense, Cleveland still dealt Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks and two pick swaps to Atlanta for Hunter before the trade deadline because of his two-way wing presence.
"This team is humble," Atkinson said. "They're hard working. They're hungry. They want to make that next step. And I think we're taking the right steps to get there."
Recently, the Cavaliers experienced what Atkinson called "a little bump in the road." They have since averted a road hazard with a breezy win over Utah. Mitchell (groin) and Mobley (right foot) also have overcome recent injuries. Based on their season-long track record, the Cavaliers expect to mount another long winning streak.
"You rather this happen now," Mitchell said. "So you can figure it out and watch film. So when it comes time in April, May and June, we're a lot better. This is something we need. It's a continuing learning process. We're doing a lot of positive things all year. We're just now finding things that we need to clean up. That's really the mindset."
Mitchell presumably will share those thoughts and more the next time he talks with his friends about the NBA championship landscape. Then, Mitchell might find out whether his close ones believe in the Cavaliers' championship window.
"It's a blessing to be able to have that conversation," Mitchell said. "Now that we're here, we got to do something with it."
Mark Medina is anNBA contributor for Athlon Sports. Follow him onX,Blue Sky,Instagram,Facebook andThreads.
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This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 6:10 AM.