CLEVELAND, Ohio — As players and coaches walked out of Rocket Arena late Sunday night, there was obvious concern.
It wasn’t about their first playoff loss — a 121-112 setback in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. It wasn’t about their dreadful 3-point shooting — the nine triples being the fewest made in any game all season. It wasn’t about a normally dynamic offense sputtering. It wasn’t about being answerless on defense against the surgical Pacers who finished with a 122.2 offensive rating. It wasn’t about flawed schemes or tactics. It wasn’t about losing homecourt advantage.
It was about the injuries — multiple — that suddenly loom over this best-of-seven series.
All-Star point guard Darius Garland missed his third straight game because of a sprained big toe on his left foot that will likely plague him for the remainder of the playoffs.
Trade deadline prize De’Andre Hunter briefly left the floor in the second half following a hard fall on a transition dunk attempt that was blocked by Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin.
Evan Mobley, awarded Defensive Player of the Year ahead of tipoff, rolled his ankle on an awkward landing at one point and was walking with a noticeable limp.
Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who shrewdly sidestepped a postgame inquiry, looked to be laboring for much of the second half — and it wasn’t merely the exhaustion that typically accompanies 48 minutes against relentless, speedy Indiana.
“We gotta check our health status,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said after the loss. “That’s going to be big. A few guys got banged up. It’s the playoffs. They were super physical. We’ve just got to get our recovery and get ready for Game 2.”
Hunter vowed to play Tuesday night — even though he told cleveland.com that his injured finger had to be popped back into place.
Mobley downplayed his injury as well.
“I just came down wrong a little bit,” Mobley said. “Right now, it’s all good. See how it feels tomorrow. Get some treatment and move forward from there.”
History has shown that the best team doesn’t always win. The playoffs often become a battle of attrition.
That battle is underway. It’s one Cleveland knows all too well.
Last year, center Jarrett Allen missed the final eight games because of a pierced rib while Mitchell labored through the team’s run, first with a troublesome knee and then an achy calf.
Believing they didn’t get a real shot at Boston in Round Two and understanding the importance of health, the organization concocted a big-picture plan that prioritized health.
The rotation lengthened. Injuries were met with a cautious approach. Minutes got cut.
That plan worked — until the final minutes of Game 2 against Miami, when Garland attempted to contest a corner 3-pointer and re-aggravated his toe injury that first popped up late in the regular season.
Ever since, Garland’s on-court activity has been limited.
“It is what it is. He wasn’t ready. It’s a day-to-day thing,” Atkinson reiterated. “I know he’s desperate to play. We need his speed and shot-making. It’s a tough one.”
After his healthiest season as a pro, playing in a career-high 75 games and bouncing back from what he called the most difficult year of his life, Garland was off to a brilliant postseason start. He averaged 24.0 points and 7.0 assists while showing a level of maturity and poise.
Garland’s absence was felt Sunday night.
Believing he needed to carry more of the offensive burden, Mitchell finished with his second-highest usage rate of the season. He hoisted 30 of the team’s 98 shot attempts.
“Right now, my answer is probably like, ‘That’s a lot of shots,’” Mitchell said when the number was brought up postgame. “I’ll look back at the film and evaluate it. Just trying to find ways to be aggressive. I’ll be better.”
Ty Jerome, who finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting, took 20 attempts, his most all season.
Sharpshooter Sam Merrill moved into the starting lineup, giving Indiana defensive weak link Tyrese Haliburton a place to “hide” and allowing pesky Andrew Nembhard to neutralize Mitchell, holding him to 1 of 10 from the field in those matchup minutes.
Swingmen Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade got bumped up the rotation. The Cavaliers’ offense, pressured all night, didn’t have the same rhythm, thrust or flow. It was one of their lowest scoring outputs all year.
“I know it’s a tough one, especially being able to stop and start (on the toe),” Atkinson said when asked about Garland’s injury. “But we don’t want him out there (at) 60 percent, 50 percent the way they pressure the ball. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Garland’s status for Tuesday is unclear. Even if he dresses, it’s fair to wonder how effective he can be. Toe injuries are tricky. Even more so for a player whose game is predicated on speed, quickness, shiftiness, change of direction and beating defenders of the dribble.
Immediately after the loss, everyone spoke about potential Game 2 adjustments. Physicality. Discipline. Controlling tempo. Better closeouts.
None would be as impactful as getting Garland back.
Guess Cleveland isn’t better without him, huh?
