NBA guard Patrick Beverley sent a warning to the Cleveland Cavs about their championship-contending status. After Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson dismissed the “desperate” narrative surrounding his team amid its four-game losing streak, Beverley is questioning All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland’s consistency on the defensive end of the floor. How will it translate throughout the playoffs?
Beverley believes it’s a critical factor in the Cavs making a deep playoff run this spring, per The Pat Bev Pod.
“Not one is afraid of [the Cavaliers],” Beverley said. “And I love this player to death; if Darius Garland can step up and be Darius Garland every single game in the playoffs, they’re gonna win. The minute he chooses not to take defense serious, they’re gonna lose. The minute Donovan Mitchell doesn’t take defense serious and depends on those big m************ to challenge everything at the rim and put them in foul trouble, they’re gonna lose.
“That’s my only issue with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Defense wins championships; offense sells tickets,” Beverley concluded.
On Sunday, the Cavs defended at a high level in their win against the Utah Jazz. They held the Jazz to 91 points in their 29-point victory (120-91), snapping their four-game skid.
Donovan Mitchell takes blame for Cavs’ four-game losing streak
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Before Patrick Beverley’s criticism, Cavs All-Star Donovan Mitchell assigned blame for the Cavs’ losing streak, taking personal responsibility for his team’s shortcomings before turning things around on Sunday.
Mitchell says it’s his job to steer the Cavs in the right direction, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.
“Put this on me,” Mitchell said. “When your leader ain’t doing [expletive], this is what happens. If I’m not being who I need to be then we’re not going to get to where we want to get to. So, until that happens — and it will — yeah, if you’re looking for where to point, it’s right here.”
The Cavs remain atop the Eastern Conference standings with a 57-14 record. Looking at the bigger picture, Mitchell magnified what’s most important, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.
“You want to be healthy and playing the right way. If that comes with it, then, yeah, (clinching the No. 1 overall seed matters),” Mitchell said. “We’re competitors, and we want to be the best of the best. But at the end of the day, we want to be healthy, playing the right way, and taking these tests, and if we don’t (finish ahead of Oklahoma City), then we don’t.”
The Cavs will face the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
