come off as weak for tanking final game for NBA playoff positioning: Dave ‘Dino’ DeNatale column
Cleveland — The Cleveland Cavaliers will return to the postseason.
Why, though, do I think they’ve already lost?
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I find it offensive that teams would choose to forfeit their season finale in order to avoid seeing specific opponents in the postseason. That seems weak, or at least cowardly.
Let’s review what we know.
The Cavaliers went into Sunday’s regular season finale against the hapless Hornets locked into the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The possibility was there for the Cavs to move up as high as second with a win, plus losses by the Knicks and Bucks.
Knowing that they would have roughly a week to rest their players before the first round of the playoffs, the Cavs still chose to sit Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Caris LeVert.
I’m not a fan of that, but fine, I get that you want to protect your guys that are banged up, especially Mitchell.
Despite a depleted lineup, the Cavs led 96-88 to start the fourth quarter and would actually lead by 13 with just over 10 minutes to play.
For the final 6:39 of the game, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff rolled with this lineup: Isaiah Mobley, Emoni Bates, Pete Nance, Damian Jones and Tristan Thompson.
Not surprisingly, the Cavs were outscored 18-2 during that span and lost by 10.
