While the NBA and NFL playoffs are very different, Cleveland’s teams could have similar experiences
If the definition of “good” in professional sports is making the playoffs, the calendar year of 2024 has been good to the city of Cleveland. The Cleveland Browns made the playoffs this year, technically the 2023 NFL season, while the Cleveland Cavaliers nabbed the fourth seed in the NBA playoffs.
Even the Cleveland Guardians are off to a very good start early in MLB’s 2024 season, leading the Central Division and just one game back in the American League overall.
Unfortunately, the Cavs are trying to make sure they do not see the same ending to their playoffs as the Browns did.
The comparisons between the two Cleveland playoff teams and situations are quite easy:
- Both dealt with injury issues
- The Cavs and Browns have highly paid players, some not living up to expectations
- Each faced off with young, inexperienced teams to start the playoffs
Cleveland fans know how it ended for the Browns with a huge blowout loss to the Houston Texans. Cleveland fans hope the Cavaliers are able to avoid the same results in Game 7 Sunday afternoon against the Orlando Magic.
Different than the NFL’s one-game-and-done, the NBA’s playoff series sets up for huge swings as we’ve seen in Cleveland versus Orlando. The first two games of the series (which has been hard to watch with games mostly on NBA TV) proved the Cavs were the better, more talented and more experienced team.
Then the Magic won two straight blowouts as the series headed to Florida but Cleveland eeked out a victory in Game 5 on their home floor.
Game 6 is a game that could be looked back on with a lot of negativity for Cavs fans. Star guard Donovan Mitchell tried to will his team to victory with 50 points despite clearly struggling with a knee issue. Mistakes by Cleveland, like an 8-second violation, and the Magic’s 15 offensive rebounds ended up dooming the Cavs.
With Game 7 “kicking off” on Sunday at 1 PM, it is easy to compare the two Cleveland teams. Thankfully, the Cavaliers have a chance to change the narrative, right the script and move on to the next round. Will Jarrett Allen play to help the rebounding differential? How will Mitchell’s knee be after leaving it all on the floor in Game 6? Will the rest of the Cavs show up and show out?
Update:
After a rough start, the Cavs did a great job coming back on their homecourt to win Game 7 and move on to face the Boston Celtics in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
End Update
Cleveland’s fans have a chance to make a big difference today as well.
DBN is rooting hard today for the Cavs (and looking forward to October baseball with the Guardians this year as well).
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