For the first time in the Donovan Mitchell era, the Cleveland Cavaliers are in the Eastern Conference Finals. It was a cause for those long-suffering fans who waited for the franchise to turn a new leaf once LeBron James left. Surprisingly, the one voice everyone expected to hear wasn’t active. ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Rizzo wasn’t hosting his show for two weeks. No sports take or excitement for the Cavs progressing. Rizzo returned after that sabbatical to reveal the life-or-death scare that forced him to remain inactive.

” 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,” he said in his return to the airwaves. A simple task, which was buying bagels for his mother, turned into a nightmare experience for Rizzo. Luckily, despite never having gone through such a traumatic health scare, Tony Rizzo acted cautiously.

He was “scared”. Yet, Rizzo, who co-hosts The Really Big Show, knew something was out of the ordinary. His chest was burning, and he couldn’t breathe. That’s why he knew something was really wrong and took the wise decision to visit the hospital. Upon arriving, Tony Rizzo got the right treatment to deal with the heart attack and successfully made his return after resting for two weeks. However, he explained how sensitive the situation was for him.

“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 recognisable 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 is extremely happy to see the Cleveland Cavaliers get back to the ECF.

Tony Rizzo says the James Harden trade was worth it

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.

Particularly, he hailed the front office for bringing in James Harden.  Rizzo said, “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. Dan Gilbert sent 22 buses full of Cavs fans to show their support, too.

Those efforts helped seal a convincing 125-94 win over the inexperienced Pistons. Tony 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 needs to be extended at the end of next season. Moreover, James Harden has a player option for next season. His decision will likely influence the franchise’s future.

Harden opting out and accepting a lower salary could allow the Cavaliers to retain some of their marquee names. As of now, they are the only team operating over the second apron. 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 may shape the Cavaliers’ future trajectory. Will it be just Evan Mobley and Spida, or could they make the finances work in the future?