Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK

Dan Gilbert Sends Message To Cavs Fans After Season Ends

Originally posted on Hoops Wire | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated May 14, 2025 1:18 PM ET

The Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Tuesday, ending Cleveland’s special season.

The Cavaliers won 64 games in the regular season. They were the No. 1 seed in the East and Kenny Atkinson won the Coach of the Year Award.

However, Cleveland ran into a hot Indiana team in the second round and was outmatched from start to finish.

It also didn’t help that Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter played injured.

After Game 5 ended, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert sent a message to Cleveland fans on X.

.@cavs fans, I know it’s heartbreaking. But the good news is, we have a talented young core that will learn from this and continue to get better. We appreciate your incredible support all season long. It’s not how we wanted it to end, but I promise you we will do everything…

— Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) May 14, 2025

Gilbert and Koby Atlman have some tough decisions to make this summer. Garland and Jarrett Allen are strong players in the regular season, but neither All-Star appears to be a guy you can win with in the postseason.

Mitchell and Mobley should be untouchable in trade talks. Everyone else on the roster, though, should be properly evaluated by Gilbert and Altman.

“We didn’t take our foot off the gas,” Atkinson said. “I think we had a hellacious schedule (in March) and didn’t play well … it wasn’t that we’re resting guys for five games, none of that. … But listen, we still have some young players that, you know, it takes time to get to this level, this intensity. And you know they (the Pacers) have a vet squad that’s kind of done it. We just probably have a small group of guys that need to take another step. And they will, it doesn’t like all of a sudden happen, it’s a process.”

This article first appeared on Hoops Wire and was syndicated with permission.

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