One grind ended on April 13. Another grind that will begin April 20 could last 28 games if the Cavaliers advance to the NBA Finals and play seven games in each round of the playoffs. The Cavaliers were in first place in the Eastern Conference after Game One of the 2024-25 season, in first place afte r Game 82, and after every game in between. They will open their playoff schedule on Easter Sunday, but they won’t know the identity of their opponent until the play-in tournament concludes April 18. The Hawks, Magic, Bulls and Heat will partake in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament that begins April 15 to determine the final two seeds in the East. The Cavs will start the playoffs against the team that comes out of the play-in as the eighth seed. The Celtics will play the seventh seed. “We endured this 82-game grind,” Coach Kenny Atkinson said. “You live it. It’s not easy. One of the challenges of professional sports and the NBA is being able to sustain through the ups and downs. To come out of it relatively heathy is an accomplishment. “I like where we are right now. We’re in a good spot. I like our chemistry, our leadership. I can’t wait until tomorrow where we can really start focusing in on our ultimate goal and try to make that next jump.” The Cavaliers finished 64-18 after losing the season finale to the Pacers, 126-118, in double overtime. It is the second-best record in the 55-year history of the franchise behind only the 66-16 mark of 2008-09. But all that matters now is the playoffs. “The playoffs are here,” Atkinson said. “We’re humble and hungry. I don’t know if that rings, but that’s kind of who we are. “Donovan keeps repeating, ‘We haven’t done anything yet. That’s not a bravado thing, It’s more like there’s a humility to what he’s saying.” Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, De’Andre Hunter, Sam Merrill, Max Strus and Ty Jerome were rested for the regular-season finale. Jarrett Allen started so he could accomplish his goal of playing all 82 games. Allen’s time on the floor was brief. He played 41 seconds and then joined his teammates as cheerleaders on the Cavaliers’ bench. The game with the Pacers was meaningless for the Cavaliers’ position in the standings but not meaningless for the young players that got the opportunity to play. The postseason can take its toll on players that helped the Cavs earn the top seed in the East. Some of those who played against the Pacers might be called upon to play meaningful minutes in the playoffs. Tristan Thompson, a member of the Cavs 2016 NBA championship team, played 43 minutes against the Pacers. He grabbed 18 defensive rebounds and two off the offensive glass. It was his most playing time since Jan 9, 2020, in a game with the Detroit Pistons when he played 45 minutes, scored 35 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in a 115-112 overtime win. Thompson, 35, scored only three points against the Pacers. Any floor time he sees in the playoffs won’t be for his scoring. “We’re going to need him.” Atkinson said. “I just feel it. There will be a time in the playoffs where we’re not rebounding the ball and we’re going to need his physicality.” The Pacers were locked into the fourth seed in the East before playing the final game, so they rested their starters, too. The Pacers and fifth-seed Bucks will meet in the first round. The Cavaliers and Pacers will meet in the conference semifinals if neither team is upset in the first round. Atkinson rested his starters (with the exception of Allen) and primary bench players with the obvious intent of not losing a key player to injury in the final game of the season. It was the fourth straight game Mitchell was in street clothes after suffering a sprained left ankle in the third quarter of the game with Sacramento on April 6. Mitchell returned to finish the third quarter against the Kings and played the entire fourth quarter. “He’ll be full-on with practice,” Atkinson said. “He was on the court yesterday. We’re going to have to scrimmage at some point. “Maybe the most important thing is how we build him up with the ankle rehab and conditioning. It’s a big one, so we’re on it. In Donovan we trust, right? He’ll be ready, but we have to set up the scenarios.” Atkinson is giving his players April 14 off. The second-season grind begins the next day on the Cleveland Clinic practice courts in Independence. Jarett Allen started against the Pacers and fulfilled a goal of playing in all 82 games. (Tim Phillis – For The News-Herald) The score Pacers 126, Cavaliers 118 (2OT) ...read more read less