Cavaliers aim to clinch home playoff series in clash vs. Grizzlies
The Cleveland Cavaliers are guaranteed a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but there's more to play for as the regular-season finale approaches.
The Cavaliers (49-29) are seeking to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Cleveland reduced its magic number to one on Sunday with a 117-108 win over the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers will be on the road Monday night for their game with the Memphis Grizzlies (23-53) and will clinch home court with a victory.
Cleveland is four games ahead of fifth-place Atlanta with four games left in the regular season.
With a win at Memphis, the Cavaliers will join Detroit, Boston and the New York Knicks as 50-win Eastern Conference teams. Cleveland is only one game behind the third-place Knicks.
The Cavaliers moved closer to that goal by finishing strong, mostly behind All-Star Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell scored 23 of his 38 points in the second half Sunday and made 16 of his 27 shots from the field.
"There's no panic," Mitchell said. "No one's had a perfect playoff run, right? So when the going gets tough, we're very calm as a group and understand that, hey, we're going to get the best shot somehow, some way."
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson is used to Mitchell's late-game heroics. Mitchell was the spark in a 16-5 run to open the fourth quarter, putting the Cavs ahead 106-91.
"Just knowing the moment, knowing when you got to go," Atkinson said. "Obviously, we were lacking a little bit of firepower, so he ... really took over. And I love it wasn't threes -- I mean, there was some open threes -- but it was more attacking the paint, attacking the basket. When he does that, we're much better."
Cleveland escaped misfortune when forward Max Strus injured his left hand in the first half but returned to start the second half. He played the second half with his left wrist taped. Atkinson said X-rays revealed "nothing structural ... just a sprain."
With an abundance of key players out because of injuries, Memphis is limping toward the regular-season finish line. The Grizzlies have pieced together a lineup that includes four 10-day contract players, and the results have been dismal.
The Grizzlies, eliminated from postseason contention, have lost four straight and 17 of 19. During their four-game losing streak, they have lost by an average of 21.3 points. Memphis lost by 16 points, 131-115, on Sunday against the Bucks in Milwaukee.
One of the bright spots for the Grizzlies on Sunday was Rayan Rupert, who joined the team on a 10-day contract but was signed to a two-way deal March 4. Rupert recorded a triple-double of 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Rupert became one of only three players in franchise history to record a 30-point triple-double.
"Everyone on the bench was genuinely happy for him," Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo said.
The Grizzlies played Sunday without GG Jackson (knee soreness) and Cedric Coward (back soreness).
Javon Small (left thigh contusion), Ty Jerome (left ankle sprain), Cam Spencer (low back soreness) and Jahmai Mashack (concussion protocol) also did not play.