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‘I just don’t know’… Cleveland Cavaliers warned their pairings still not enough to build on regular season success

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 9:07 PM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the underdog Indiana Pacers in the second round of the NBA playoffs, and their roster might simply not be built for playoff success.

Last season, despite dominating the Eastern Conference and finishing with a 64-18 record, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their second-round series to the Indiana Pacers in six games, although it was never particularly close.

Between Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball, and others, the Cavs boast one of the best rosters in the NBA.

For the most part, they are bringing everyone back from last season, and there is no reason to believe that they won’t finish in first place.

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Cavaliers are expected to finish atop Eastern Conference

With the Boston Celtics poised to take a clear step back, the Cavs and New York Knicks have enjoyed a quiet offseason, simply improving around the margins with the hopes of running things back.

However, both the Cavaliers and the Knicks ran into the red-hot Pacers, and there are concerns that neither franchise is built for playoff success.

“I think them and New York are the two best teams in the Eastern Conference,” said ESPN insider Bobby Marks.

“But there’s a big difference between regular season and as far as what you get into the playoffs?”

Donovan Mitchell tends to be a better player in the postseason, and he averaged a remarkable 34.2 points per game in the final series of the season, although he has never even made the Conference Finals, and the Cavs need to better build their roster to maximize him in the playoffs.

Cavaliers urged to part ways with two key players

Both Darius Garland and Mitchell are ball-dominant, score-first guards, even if Garland has played a different role in recent seasons.

In the frontcourt, the Cavaliers employ two elite rim protectors, and even though Evan Mobley can space the floor, he and Jarrett Allen are very similar players.

Rather than adding a power forward to maximize Mobley or a defensive mastermind to pair in the backcourt with Mitchell, the Cavs have instead just assembled star power, which works in the regular season, but not in the playoffs, where there is no room for error.

“I just don’t know if Garland and Mitchell and then Allen and Mobley are the right pairing for them to actually be a championship team, which is why they’re having these high-level conversations about what to do,” said Kevin O’Connor.

It stands to reason that Mitchell and Mobley are less likely to be traded than Garland and Allen. After winning 64 games, it’s hard to blow up the roster, although adding lesser players to get the most out of the stars in a complementary role might be the best option for Cleveland.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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