INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Cleveland Cavaliers tip off their first playoff appearance in five years on Saturday, taking on the New York Knicks in a best of seven series. This past week leading into the postseason action has come with plenty of preparation, gearing up the young roster for what's to come.
On Wednesday at Cleveland Clinic Courts, the Cavs held shootaround practice and meetings. The meeting went long and practice was intense. Simulated crowd noise filled the building as the team worked on communicating through roaring fan sounds and the energy it can bring.
"We've got some stuff pumped in on the loudspeaker during our drills during some of the time when we're playing, just again to simulate that energy and how important communication is through that," said head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. "There's a lot of small things that we're doing that are trying to set the stage a little bit to let them know just how important those things are."
For many on the Cavs roster, this is the first taste of a postseason in their careers.
Guys like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are excited for their first playoff series, especially after having the experience from the play-in tournament last season.
"I think it prepared us a good amount. It was definitely a playoff atmosphere. I saw the play-in game yesterday, it was definitely a playoff atmosphere out there too," Mobley said. "So I think it prepared us for the pressures and all the fans and all that, but we're going to go out there, do our job and play as good as we can."
Personally, Garland can't wait for the experience to become reality. This moment has been on his mind since he entered the NBA.
"It's a long time from last year to now, so it's been always on my mind. It's good to finally be in a series...playing actually a seven game series," Garland said. "It's going to be fun. I've been waiting for it for four years now."
As the two inch closer to their playoff debuts, they've been working hard with the rest of the team—both physically and mentally.
From hitting the gym early and staying there late, to running extra drills and keeping their bodies ready, the Cavs have dedicated themselves to being ready for what poses to be a physical match up against the Knicks.
Mentally, the Cavs have been staying grounded and focused—making sure they get enough rest, enjoying time at home, spending time with family. Then, come game prep, the Cavs are communicating heavily with each other, taking lessons from guys like Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Ricky Rubio who have been to the playoffs before.
"We've been talking, having a lot of conversations about playoffs—guys that's already been there, coaches as well, anybody in the program honestly that's been in the playoffs or been far, just spilling their knowledge and just trying to soak it all up," Mobley said.
Garland has been soaking it all in as well, ramping up conversations that he's been having all year long and getting ready to implement them into action.
"Most of the guys on the team haven't been in the playoffs, so we all just had conversations in the locker room asking them what does it feel like being in the playoffs? What is it mentally, what is it physically?" Garland said. "The conversation has been had all season, so we know a little bit of it. They always tell us you won't know until you're really in it. So we're just really waiting now."
The biggest takeaway for Garland is one that the rest of the young roster would bode well to remember—one that may keep them even-keeled through the series, however long it lasts.
"We had a conversation a couple days ago actually, they said 'When you get the first win or you get a win, it feels like the best thing ever. Then when you lose it's like the worst thing ever.' So it's going to be a roller coaster, but you just have to keep your head," Garland said.
As for Saturday, the Cavs are also preparing for a high-energy crowd inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. They've experienced what Cavs fans bring in the regular season, but for most of the roster, this is their first time feeling the buzz of playoffs in Cleveland.
That is something that they'll have to wait to see to believe—and something they're ready to be a part of.
"Want Rocket just packed out, really want it loud" Garland said, smiling. "I think it's a white out, so it should be lit."
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