The Cleveland Cavaliers are 2-0 up over the Orlando Magic in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs after two dominant performances. The matchup between these two teams has largely gone under the radar, given their games are early in the Playoff schedule.
Thankfully, the Cavs' strong performances have not gone unnoticed because Mark Jackson has given Cleveland his support. The Cavaliers have a chance to become the dark horse as they are peaking at the right time.
"Because they have a home-run hitter in Donovan Mitchell, they have a legit starting five, they have great depth, they have great bigs that are great at defending," Jackson said on The Mark Jackson Show. "They have a young star in Mobley; they are a talented basketball team that could have wound up very easily as the second seed… It was a rollercoaster season, inconsistent at times, but they have everything it takes to create problems for everybody."
Cleveland has all the tools to compete
The Eastern Conference has some of the most talented teams in the league, especially with the Boston Celtics at the forefront. The Milwaukee Bucks could also be considered a top team due to their star power with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
While those two teams can be considered superior to the Cavs, this Cleveland team can pull off massive surprises. Mark sees the potential due to their talented roster. They have a superstar talent in Donovan Mitchell leading the team alongside a young point guard in Darius Garland.
Cleveland's defense is also good, especially when the Cavs have two towering big men like Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in the paint. Their presence in the shaded area makes it challenging to score against them, which has been evident during the series so far against the Magic. Allen is glad the team is playing well and has redeemed themselves from the struggles of the last Playoff run .
Orlando has not eclipsed the 90-point mark in the series yet, which proves Coach J.B. Bickerstaff is doing well with his defensive sets. It has made Cleveland such a tough matchup for any team, which is crucial for a possible matchup with the Celtics in the second round.
The Cavs could pull off the surprises
The Celtics would be the favorite in a potential matchup in the second round, but it is not a walk in the park for them. This Cavs team is one of the few teams that gave Boston trouble in the regular season, even beating them 105-104 in early March.
The combination of Mitchell and Garland in the backcourt with Mobley and Allen in the frontcourt could be the key to an unlikely upset. Boston is still the favorite, but you should expect a competitive series and not a dominant run for the Celtics, like some people are discussing.
Of course, the Cavs and Celtics' first-round matchups are still in play. They must focus on their task, but with Jackson's assessment, Boston should be wary of playing against a Cavs team peaking at the right time.
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