The Cleveland Cavaliers will start the playoffs in the Play-In Tournament, but former Trojan Evan Mobley’s availability is still unknown. Former Trojans DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević will lead the young Chicago Bulls to the playoffs as the team returns to health.
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers (1-3 since March 31)
What kept the Cleveland Cavaliers competitive in the Eastern Conference for most of the season?
The answer is pretty simple: health.
The Cavaliers are 1-4 without rookie Evan Mobley, who is dealing with a sprained ankle, and 6-10 without center Jarrett Allen, who is recovering from a fractured finger.
With the loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, the Cavaliers will officially compete in the Play-In Tournament. They currently hold a 1.5-game lead over the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks for seventh place in the East.
However, with two games to play, the Cavaliers’ seventh spot is still not guaranteed — especially since the team will face the Nets on Friday, which will likely decide the final standings for the Play-In Tournament.
This season’s Rookie of the Year Award has been widely considered a two-man race between Mobley and Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes. Though the 2021 No. 1 overall pick, guard Cade Cunningham, has been playing great basketball since he became healthy, playing for a constantly losing Detroit Pistons team is unlikely to win him the award.
Barnes’ late-season push to help the Raptors climb to fifth place in the East coupled with Mobley’s recent injuries has brought even more controversy to the discussion. Mobley could make a final push for the award if he returns for the Cavaliers’ last two games.
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls (1-2 since March 31)
Though the Chicago Bulls continued to struggle this week with losses to the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks, they clinched a playoff spot outside of the Play-In Tournament thanks to the Cavaliers’ loss to Orlando.
Guard DeMar DeRozan had a stellar week, averaging 38.7 points, three rebounds, 4.7 assists and one steal over his last three games.
In the Bulls’ win over the Los Angeles Clippers, DeRozan scored 50 points on only 26 shooting attempts. DeRozan showcased his midrange skills during this game, but — most importantly — he had 15 free throw attempts, which displays how aggressive he was throughout the contest.
DeRozan is now the total points leader this season with 2,085 points in 74 games. The 32-year-old is having his best season since 2009, averaging 28.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and five assists per game.
DeRozan has brought the Bulls back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. With his experience and skills, DeRozan is going to be crucial to the team’s success in the postseason.
Nikola Vučević, Chicago Bulls (1-2 since March 31)
Center Nikola Vučević has produced less on the offensive end of the floor this season, allowing his teammates to make more plays for the team. Vučević's averages dropped to 17.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
Vučević has struggled against teams that play with great physicality. For example, in the Bulls’ loss to the Bucks on April 5, Vučević posted only 7 points on 3-of-19 shooting from the field and played only 26 minutes due to foul trouble.
Vučević is known for his offensive versatility in the center position, especially his shooting prowess from behind the arc. Vučević averaged 40.6% and 38.8% shooting from behind the arc in the last two seasons, respectively, but he seemed to struggle this season, making only 31.5% of his 3-pointers.
With guard Lonzo Ball confirmed to miss the remainder of the season, the Bulls should give Vučević more responsibility on both ends of the floor. It is important that the team helps Vučević find his comfort zone in the playoffs.
Kevin Porter Jr., Houston Rockets (0-3 since March 31)
The Houston Rockets suffered three more losses this week.
Even through the team’s struggles, Kevin Porter Jr. averaged 28 points, four rebounds, 7.7 assists and 2.3 steals over the last three games.
Porter dropped 36 points, two rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in the Rockets’ loss to the Nets on Tuesday.
“That’s been the main thing I’ve been trying to improve on, my balance between being a playmaker and trying to score,” Porter said after the game.
Finding balance in a short time could not have been easy for Porter due to his lack of experience. Considering how young their squad is, one of the Rockets’ offseason tasks should be to sign some valuable veteran guards who had successful postseason experience. A player with the same impact as Chris Paul on the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns would accelerate the team’s rebuild.