Pregame Dribbles: Cavs Aim To Make More History, Only This Time Minus Donovan Mitchell

CLEVELAND — Random dribbles ahead of the Cavaliers’ home game against the Charlotte Hornets (6 p.m. EST).

1. The Cavs are aiming to become the fifth team in NBA history to start 15-0, and they will be doing it without Donovan Mitchell.

2. Mitchell is sitting out for the purpose of rest/load management. Evan Mobley, who was sick for Friday’s home win vs. the Bulls, is expected to play.

3. Sitting Mitchell for a game is actually a smart move. It’s nice to have your star players play every game. But for better or worse, that’s not today’s NBA. The goal is for the Cavaliers to be healthy and at their best when it means the most — in April and May, and June if you’re fortunate enough to get there.

4. Yes, everyone wants to keep the streak alive. But they also know that going undefeated now means little in the long game. Just ask the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who started 24-0, finished 73-9, and still lost in the Finals (to you know who).

5. The Hornets look much-improved under new coach Charles Lee. LaMelo Ball is having an outstanding start, averaging nearly 30 points a game (29.6, fifth in NBA). Second-year forward Brandon Miller looks like a future All-Star. And Charlotte generally tends to give the Cavs fits.

6. Translation: This was no gimme even with Mitchell.

7. Mitchell, of course, more or less singlehandedly saved the Cavs in the last two games. That included an 18-point fourth quarter on Friday. 

8. Coach Kenny Atkinson on that performance: “That was him It wasn’t me saying it. He just senses what does the team need right now? And that could be him or it could be someone else. And that speaks to his IQ, just understanding of who’s on the court, who he’s playing with.”

9. The coach is right. During this amazing start, it’s been someone new stepping up and making the winning plays each time. Sometimes, it’s three or four someones new. In each of the last two games, it’s been primarily Mitchell.

10. But the idea is to keep everyone’s legs fresh for AFTER the All-Star break. That’s where the Cavaliers are right now. They’re also 14-0. Last year, Mitchell sitting would have been an issue. This year, it won’t be easy, but so far, the Cavs have shown they go 10-11 deep, as products of a winning system and teamwide belief.

11. My bigger fear is that the Cavs are wearing their City Edition uniforms. Love the uniforms, but if they were to lose, more people would probably blame the sky-blue duds than Mitchell’s absence. I know I sure would.

12. Just kidding. Sort of.

13. That’s fun for the sake of it. And hey, why not? Through 14 games, the Cavs are having a blast. Winning every game will do that for an organization.

14. Talk to you after. After missing Friday’s game, I’ll be back at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse tonight. In the event you’re looking for another reason to believe. Just kidding. Sort of.