The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the most impressive teams of the 2023-24 season. In fact, they have hit a purple pact of form since the turn of the year, losing just five times in 24 games. This form has catapulted them to the 2nd spot in the Eastern Conference standings, with 37 wins from 56 games. The Cavs’ recent performances become even more impressive when because they were missing Darius Garland and Evan Mobley during this exceptional run.

However, both Garland and Mobley faced the Washington Wizards yesterday. Mobley delivered an impressive performance, scoring 21 points. But the same can’t be said about Garland. Despite recording 17 points and 7 assists, the 24-year-old point guard struggled with his shooting, going 6-15 from the field and 3-9 from beyond the arc. Fans and analysts were quick to criticize Garland for his subpar performance, but teammate Donovan Mitchell came to his rescue.

Donovan Mitchell defends Darius Garland from critics

Following Cleveland’s 114-105 victory over the Wizards, a livid Mitchell laid into Garland’s critics. He said, “I’m on social media and I feel like people aren’t giving him the benefit of the doubt,” Mitchell told cleveland.com. “I want to speak on that because I think it’s bullsh*t. At the end of the day, he is a kid that has proven himself, not only to the Cleveland fanbase but this league as well. They’re ready to rag on a kid for, what, one half of a season? I think that is B.S.”

Donovan Mitchell may face a fine from the NBA for using profanity during the interview. This season, the NBA has already issued fines totaling $95,000 for similar instances of swearing. In early January, the NBA handed Knicks’ star Julius Randle a fine worth $25,000 for “egregious” use of profanity. This isn’t the first time questions have been raised about Garland’s fit with Mitchell, as both are dominant guards. Despite this ongoing scrutiny, both players have handled the criticism with professionalism. As a result, the Cavaliers are poised for another assault on the NBA title.

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The Cavaliers have one of the stingiest defenses in the league. In fact, they rank second, with a defensive rating of 111.1. The Cavaliers’ defense has greatly benefited from the presence of defensive anchors such as Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. However, their offensive output has been subpar, posing challenges to the team’s overall offensive effectiveness.

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Despite possessing offensive studs like Garland and Mitchell, the Cavs have the 16th-best offense in the league. Although the Cavaliers aren’t seen as frontrunners for the championship, they could still spring some surprises during the postseason.