Cavs Dribbles: Danny Green, Donovan Mitchell, Rotation

Random dribbles on the Cavaliers, who are riding a seven-game winning streak and soon will be officially adding another piece …

1. Let’s start with incoming guard Danny Green. Here is what he will offer the Cavs above all else — championship pedigree. You can never have enough of that around a younger core with little playoff experience.

2. Green has won one title apiece with the Spurs (2014), Raptors (2019) and Lakers (2020 Disney bubble). The Cavs currently have one guy on the roster with a ring — Kevin Love. 

3. Donovan Mitchell has playoff experience from his time with the Jazz. Jarrett Allen went once with the 2018-19 Nets. Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Isaac Okoro have never been. So again, Green can help with the approach and mindset when the Cavs go this year.

4. As for on-court contributions, Green may play a lot at the end of games, when big perimeter shots are needed. Yes, he’s 35-years old, and he may not do much more than knock down a 3-pointer or two a night. But a couple of timely threes can mean a lot in the playoffs. Green has made plenty already.

5. Those are the pros. The cons are age and the fact Green is coming off ACL surgery. He’s played just three games this season (Feb. 1-7). It remains to be seen if he has anything left. But the Cavs are confident he does.

6. Green was traded by the 76ers to the Grizzlies before the season, then by the Grizzlies to the Rockets last week. Houston quickly arranged a contract buyout. For the record, I like the Green acquisition better than any of the Cavs’ rumored pre-deadline targets — Malik Beasley, Josh Hart, Tim Hardaway Jr., etc. Cleveland landed Green without giving up anyone.

7. OK, on to the Cavs and their seven-game winning streak.

8. How about Mitchell, who scored 41 points vs. the Spurs on Monday? That groin issue seems to be a thing of the past. He is being more active, attacking the basket, and appears to have more lift on his jumper again. That bodes well for after the All-Star break.

9. The Cavs (38-22) have sold out every home game this season. They are 25-6 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. They are just six wins away from last year’s total, with 22 more games to go. Cleveland was 36-24 at this point last season.

10. Best of all, the Cavs still see room for growth. They were not thrilled with the way they sort of lollygagged against the Spurs, before turning it on and pulling away for the win.

11. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff to reporters after the victory: “We didn’t play to our standard, it’s that simple. We didn’t do the things we needed to to do at the level we’re used to doing them at. We got lucky to get away with a win. We’ve been better in these moments, tonight just wasn’t our best.”

12. In other words, the Cavs are playing well and winning a lot, but not too full of themselves.

13. Either way, legendary Spurs coach Gregg Popovich offered high praise. “We played a hell of a team,” he said. “They play really strong defense, which is going to suit them well in the playoffs.”

14. Next up is a visit to Joel Embiid, James Harden and the 76ers, who sit in third place in the Eastern Conference, a game ahead of the Cavs. That will be a tough one. After that, it’s the All-Star break — meaning the Cavs won’t play again until Thursday, Feb. 23 (at home vs. Nuggets).

15. Finally, I suspect Love may be back in the rotation after the break. That’s not inside information, just a hunch. Bickerstaff may start to institute a veteran bench of primarily Love, Green, Caris LeVert and Ricky Rubio to get ready for the postseason.