NBA playoffs: the wild cards

The Cleveland Cavaliers made some moves in the off-season when they picked up Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. Mitchell has been a huge part of the Cavs’ success this season, averaging 28 points per game. Mitchell is catching fire just in time for the playoffs. In his last four starts of the regular season, he scored 40+ in each of the four games (40-42-43-44), and earlier in the season, he scored his career-high 71 points versus the Chicago Bulls. If the Cavs need someone to heat up at any given time, they can count on Mitchell.

Now, the Cavs face the New York Knicks in the first round.

Cleveland’s team also has 23-year-old Darius Garland, as well as 21-year-old Evan Mobley, to pair with Mitchell’s explosiveness. Mobley is not scared to jump with the big dunkers like Lebron and Ja, and always fights for his points and rebounds. He averages 16 points and 9 rebounds, which is good for a 6’11 lanky power forward. With Garland’s shooting and physicalness added to Mitchell’s spot-up shooting and handles – along with Mobley’s energy and toughness – this team is going to be tough to guard.

The New York Knicks do not really have one main guy they can go to if they are down, which makes them unpredictable. That instability is kind of a good trait: a plus for them is their defense, which won the Knicks game one. Jalen Brunson had the best game for New York with 27 points, but the Knicks can spread the ball to all five players on the floor on a consistent basis. This series will be the closest, even though both teams have two-way play styles.