Cleveland Cavaliers gutsy Game 5 victory shows tangible growth

Mental toughness has long been a question mark for the Cleveland Cavaliers. A pivotal Game 5 after consecutive thrashings in Orlando was a perfect opportunity for the Cavs to sink or swim. On Tuesday, they showed why this year’s team isn’t last year’s team.

The Orlando Magic had previously reclaimed all momentum behind their dominance at home. In Games 3 and 4, the Cavaliers were outscored by a total of 61 points. It was fair to question if this team was capable of responding to a punch as severe as that. Especially, because of the way they wilted against the New York Knicks last season.

A year ago, the Cavs could not recover when the Knicks dealt them a blow. Darius Garland and Evan Mobley shrunk in pivotal moments while Donovan Mitchell was unable to lift them with his scoring prowess the way a superstar should. This all led to the Knicks delivering a knockout punch easier than anyone expected. Recovering from last year’s downfall would require growth across the board against Orlando.

The need for growth was exasperated ahead of Game 5 when Jarrett Allen was ruled out with a rib injury. Allen’s production on the glass gave the Cavs an edge in the opening games. Without him, an undermanned squad was left to rise to the occasion.

And rise they did.

Darius Garland, who has struggled to score all season, energized the Cavaliers early with 17 first-quarter points. This dynamite-scoring prowess is what the Cavs had been begging to see out of Garland since last season. He finished with 23 points, more than his combined score in both Orlando games (19). His aggression in Game 5 was a stark contrast from how Garland had previously approached most of his playoff games. His decision not to defer to Mitchell and instead generate a clutch bucket on his own was the perfect encapsulation of Garland’s shift.

Then there was Mitchell, effectively playing on one leg for most of the game. It was hard to watch as Mitchell limped down the floor with Jalen Suggs draped all over him. But when it mattered the most, Mitchell pushed his team over the hill. He scored 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter. Willing himself to the free throw line and delivering the timely production he failed to bring against New York.

Max Strus is another player who has been hard to watch for much of the series. Brought to Cleveland for his shooting ability, Strus had shot a combined 3-17 (17.6%) from deep in the first four games of the series. Strus finally broke free in Game 5 by drilling 4-10 triples. He delivered a momentum-swinging stretch in the third quarter and a clutch shot to give the Cavs a lead late in the game. The Cavaliers certainly could have used a player like Strus last season.

But in closing time, it was none other than Evan Mobley who sealed the deal. First, a thunderous dunk to gain the lead. Then, a defensive stop on Paolo Banchero, followed by a smooth finger roll to extend the gap. Finally, a game-clinching block on Franz Wagner was the cherry on top for Mobley.

Last year, Mobley looked like a deer in headlights against New York. He was over-helping on defense and awkwardly rushing on offense. So to see Mobley play with poise down the stretch of a pivotal Game 5 was a clear sign of improvement. The young defensive star has yet to have a true “breakout” on the big stage but 14 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks is nothing to scoff at.

The job is not yet finished but there is no skipping steps in the NBA. A young team like the Cavaliers must hit these checkpoints to feel confident they are still trending upwards. Their resilience to bounce back from a two-game skid in Orlando shows potential growth from the team they were a year ago. Closing the series and advancing to the second round would solidify this.