After what some fans may have considered to be a questionable start to the season for Cleveland, the Cavaliers are headed to the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Additionally, they have clinched fourth in the Eastern Conference, earning them home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. This also saves them from the play-in tournament that starts on April 14.
To avoid the play-in tournament in the NBA, teams need to be at least sixth in their conference. Those in the seventh through tenth positions are in the play-in tournament, forcing them into another round of competition. In the East, the top four teams in the standings are solidified with the Detroit Pistons at No. 1 with a 72%-win rate. In second and third place above the Cavs are the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks respectively, with Cleveland one game behind third place.
Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, all top six are set in stone, with Oklahoma City Thunder standing impressively on top with an 80%-win percentage. The San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves follow behind.
What also excited many fans was the Cavs’ 50th win of the season, which happened on April 6 against the Memphis Grizzlies in a high-scoring game of 142-126. After a slow first quarter, the Cavs picked up speed, outscoring Memphis in the latter three quarters. Evan Mobley had a huge night while Donovan rested, going 9-11 from the field, posting 24 points and the leading scorer title, and capturing six rebounds.
After his rest day, Mitchell was back in action on April 8 against the Atlanta Hawks, and he had himself a magnificent night. He scored 31 points, went 12-19 from the field, 9-9 from the charity stripe, and grabbed seven rebounds for the team, helping to bring them to a 122-116 victory. That brought their April win streak up to four.
As the 2025-2026 regular season ends, it would be foolish to not recognize Donovan Mitchell’s incredible season statistics. For the regular season, Mitchell proudly boasts a 48.3% field goal percentage. He also has a strong three-point percentage, at 36.4%. He averages 27.8 points per game, putting him seventh in the NBA. The Cavaliers’ next big leading scorer, James Harden, is 17th on the list, averaging 23.7 points.
When it comes to franchise standings, Mitchell is first in Cavalier history for both three-pointers per game and three-point attempts per game; second in field goals, field goal percentage, average points per game, field goals per game, and field goal attempts per game; and fourth in three-point shots and 3-point attempts. It goes without saying that these are magnificent feats, and he is on track to continue moving onward and upward next season.
With the playoffs ahead, many are speculating that it could very well be the Hawks who are the Cavs’ first-round opponent. Ahead of that potential matchup, it will be great to see Jaylon Tyson back out on the court, who has been out with a toe injury for several weeks. Dean Wade, who has been out for his ankle, made his return on April 8, and Tyson is expected to be returning before the playoffs begin.
For the first time this season, the Cavaliers could have a completely healthy roster going into the playoffs; Cleveland is going to be in tip-top shape for the most crucial time of the year.
