For the first time in the Donovan Mitchell era, the Cleveland Cavaliers are in the Eastern Conference Finals. It ended misery for those long-suffering fans who waited for the franchise to turn a new leaf once LeBron James left. But surprisingly, the one voice everyone expected to hear wasn’t active… ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Rizzo, who has been with the network and remained a household name for more than a decade, wasn’t hosting his show in the last two weeks. It also meant that fans got no sports talk or excitement for the Cavs’ progress. Rizzo just returned after that sabbatical to reveal his life-or-death scare…

“I had a heart attack, a major heart attack. I knew something was really wrong. Because I’d never felt like that before in my life,” Rizzo said on his return to the airwaves. A simple task, which was buying bagels for his mother, turned into a nightmare experience. “I got bagels for my mom. I drove them out to Middleburg Heights, and I came home. I got back to my home at 11:30, and my chest seized up, and I couldn’t breathe… I couldn’t breathe, chest burning.”

Despite never having gone through such a traumatic health scare, Rizzo acted cautiously. He was “scared”. Yet Rizzo, who co-hosts The Really Big Show, knew something was very wrong. Then, his wife made the spontaneous decision to drive him to the hospital. Upon arrival, the doctors took Rizzo’s blood pressure and were shocked to find it at 175/50 mmHg. He then got the right treatment to deal with the heart attack scare and successfully made his return on air after resting for two weeks. Rizzo explained how sensitive the situation was for him and what the consequences could have been.

“I’m lucky to be alive. You know me. You know I’m not a hospital guy. But I knew right away the good Lord let me know. Get your ass to the hospital. Something is very wrong. Had I waited about 45 minutes, I would have died,” Rizzo revealed.

Rizzo has been working with ESPN since 2012. In his time with the network, he’s become the most prominent and recognizable voice in Cleveland sports. It’s great to see that he has made a good recovery and is back to hosting his show. With that being said, Rizzo was extremely happy to see the Cavaliers get back to the ECF and was back to dropping his takes and analyzing the playoffs.

Tony Rizzo lauds Cleveland for getting one key trade piece absolutely right

Tony Rizzo was itching to speak about the Cleveland Cavaliers on his return to the show. And what better time to be there than after the Cavaliers slammed the Detroit Pistons in Game 7? They secured a ticket to the ECF for the first time since 2018. Rizzo and the Cavaliers fanbase only knew LeBron James as the man who gave them hope of competing for a championship. But now that the new era of Cavs stars has taken them through, he’s feeling great.

Rizzo especially hailed the front office for bringing in James Harden, saying, “Koby Altman, congratulations. That trade for James Harden got you where you wanted to go.” The Beard stepped up in the vital Game 5 to seal a 3-2 advantage. Although the team didn’t close it out at home, the double chance to secure the series allowed the Cavaliers more time to study the Pistons. Franchise owner Dan Gilbert sent 22 buses filled with nearly 1,400 Cavs fans to show their support, too.

Those efforts helped seal a convincing 125-94 win over the inexperienced Pistons. Rizzo was delighted with the result, praising the “team effort” that led to the win. The attention now turns to the New York Knicks, who swept the 76ers in the previous round. Both teams have long waited for a chance at winning the championship. But in terms of urgency, Rizzo feels the Cavs may not be able to keep this band together for much longer…

Donovan Mitchell’s deal needs to be extended at the end of next season. He will become extension-eligible in July and can sign a new deal worth up to $272 million over four years. But James Harden has a $42 million player option (with $13 million guaranteed) for next season. And the veteran’s decision will likely influence the franchise’s future. Two days ago, NBA Insider Brian Windhorst suggested an “understanding” that a multiyear contract would be forthcoming was likely in place before Cleveland sent Darius Garland and a 2026 second-round pick to the Clippers.

Harden opting out and accepting a lower salary would allow them to retain some of their marquee names. As of now, they are the only team operating over the second apron. And the CBA doesn’t allow teams to remain over the threshold for long without facing nasty consequences.

As much as Rizzo rates the move for the Beard, his decisions going forward are crucial for Cleveland.