Staying sharp when not much is riding on the final two weeks of games can be a challenge, but that does not mean the Cavaliers are coasting to the finish line. One play in particular in the 127-122 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers March 30 at Rocket Arena illustrated that. With 50.1 seconds to play and the Cavs leading, 124-117, Donovan Mitchell dived to the floor to steal the ball after it got away from a Clippers player. Mitchell scored 24 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, dished out seven assists and had four steals. Coach Kenny Atkinson said it was Mitchell’s best game of the season. Coach Kenny Atkinson says Donovan Mitchell showed why he is such a leader after diving on the floor for a loose ball at crunch time Sunday in the #Cavaliers 127-122 win over the Clippers. pic.twitter.com/70VcquWdxZ — Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) March 30, 2025 “You have to back it up, right?” Coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Rebounding, physicality, compete level, all that. When your best player does it and leads — and not just the end. When your best player takes the lead, that’s why we have  60 wins. “And I’ll group the other three guys in there — Darius (Garland), J.A. (Jarrett Allen) and Evan (Mobley). They weren’t losing this game today. We have great leadership. They understand what this team needs.” Allen was 11-of-12 shooting. He led the Cavs with 25 points. He helped hold Clippers center Ivica Zubac to 7-of-14 shooting. Zubac scored 28 points on 13 of 18 shooting when the Clippers beat the Cavs, 132-119, in Los Angeles on March 18. The Cavs’ regular season ends April 13 with a home game against the Pacers. The first round of the playoffs starts April 19 after the four days of the play-in tournament. The Cavs, 60-15, are first in the East, 4 1/2 games ahead of the Celtics. They are three games behind the West-leading Thunder for the best record in the NBA. Atkinson is coaching the final stretch of games to win — stop the presses on that insight — but he also is coaching with his mind on the playoffs. It is why there are times when the combination of players on the floor might not have been together during the winning streaks. “We’re looking at different lineups and getting our bench the proper minutes so they’re prepared for the playoffs, so there are a lot of moving pieces there,” Atkinson said before playing the Clippers. “In the Detroit game (March 28), we went small a fair amount. Sure, we were behind, but we got more information. “Can we play small ball if we have to? If you don’t try it, you never know. Then all of sudden the playoffs come. We’re playing Indiana and we need to go small. Then you get real hesitant about actually doing it if you haven’t seen it.” The Clippers won eight of 10 games and two straight before facing the Cavs, but they chose to rest star player Kawhi Leonard because the Clippers play the Magic in Orlando on March 31. They did not want Leonard playing in back-to-back games. Cavs guard Ty Jerome missed his third straight game with tendinitis in his left knee. Atkinson said the injury isn’t serious, but he had to adjust his strategy. Sam Merrill was his first player off the bench with Jerome unavailable. “I’m getting more information on our bench guys,” Atkinson said. “Javonte Green — can he help us in the playoffs? Can Craig Porter help us in the playoffs? All that in a bundle and then getting our main guys to compete and win and be ready for the playoffs.” Atkinson stayed with the starters against the Clippers longer than he normally would have because he sensed the Cavs needed to make a statement after not playing their best the last couple of weeks. At one point, they lost four straight. “I was thinking this is what the playoffs are going to be about,” Atkinson said. “That group was rolling.” Green was waived by the Pelicans on Feb. 20 and signed by the Cavaliers three days later. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 8.5 minutes a game in 11 games with the Cavs before facing the Clippers. He played five minutes and scored two points against the Clippers. Jarrett Allen dunks during the Cavaliers’ victory over the Clippers on March 30. (David Dermer – The Associated Press) The score Cavaliers 127, Clippers 122 ...read more read less