The Cleveland Cavaliers are 7-6 on the season and have won three in a row after taking down the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. This roster is close to healthy, which is huge for their aspirations in 2023-24. Cavs big man Jarrett Allen is one of their most important pieces to the puzzle, but perhaps none are more key than the backcourt duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.
In a recent interview with HoopsHype, Allen spoke about where he’s seen improvements in both of his teammates’ games in the current campaign compared to 2022-23:
“Darius, I’ll say he’s been better scoring, finding his position. Last year was the first time playing with Donovan, so that kind of threw a wrench in the system for him. But now I feel like he’s finally finding his spot, finding where he needs to pass the ball.
And for Donovan, he’s always been great. Feel like he bought into the system Day 1 and he’s been ready to play. This year not only he’s gonna score every time, but he’s making up more opportunities for everybody else.”
It was definitely a bit of a learning curve for Darius Garland last season when it came to finding his rhythm alongside Spida, a player who thrives with the rock in his hands. While his numbers are down a tad, Garland has only played eight games. Plus, he’s scored 26 and 28 points, respectively, in his last two outings.
As for Mitchell, he’s the clear superstar of this Cavs roster, and the stats back it up. He’s averaging 29.2 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per night. The assist numbers are especially impressive as Allen alluded to. Spida is creating a lot more for his teammates. Both he and Garland continue to be fantastic facilitators.
The sky is the limit for the Cavs if they can steer clear of injuries and find more chemistry. Mitchell is currently battling a hamstring issue, but it doesn’t appear to be serious.
