The Cleveland Cavaliers’ recent struggles have come to an end after a tough losing streak, but their work is far from over as they continue to battle for a strong playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Their recent victory has provided much-needed momentum, though two-star players, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, are currently battling shooting slumps they hope to break out of before the postseason.
Breaking the Losing Streak
After a series of frustrating losses, the Cavaliers snapped their losing streak with a dominant 120-91 win against the Utah Jazz, highlighted by a blistering third quarter in which the Cavs outscored the Jazz 37-19. The win was a much-needed boost for Cleveland, who had seen their hold on the league’s best record slip away during a five-game skid. Despite this adversity, the team has remained committed to staying level-headed, refusing to get too low after losses or too high after wins. The focus is on trusting the process that has carried them to this point.
At this stage in the season, the Cavs have already secured a playoff spot and are now eyeing the top seed in the East. With just 11 games remaining, they are 5.5 games ahead of the Boston Celtics, with a magic number of seven. If they can maintain their form, this would mark the first time the Cavs have earned the number one seed in the East since the 2015-2016 Championship season—and the first time in franchise history without LeBron James.
Mitchell and Garland’s Shooting Slumps
Since the All-Star Break, two of the Cavs’ All-Star guards have struggled with their shooting. Mitchell, the team’s leading scorer and offensive catalyst, has been particularly cold, posting a three-point percentage of just 26.8%. Garland, too, has faced difficulties, shooting below his usual efficiency with splits of 38.6/31.1/90.9. As the primary ball handler, Garland’s scoring is crucial to Cleveland’s offensive flow, but his struggles have made it tougher for the Cavs to consistently break down opposing defenses.
Both Mitchell and Garland remain the driving force of the offense, and with a rising star in Evan Mobley and a supporting cast of Jarrett Allen, De’Andre Hunter, and Ty Jerome, there’s confidence they’ll break out of their slumps soon. Cleveland will need both of their star guards to regain their shooting touch as they push for the top seed in the East and make a serious run in the postseason.
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