Reaching the playoffs is the bare minimum for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the team is well aware of that after clinching a spot in the postseason on Friday.

Now that the Wine and Gold have punched their ticket to the playoffs, what’s next for the Cavaliers as they wrap up their final handful of games of the regular season? 

After the trade deadline, there was a lot of discussion about whether the Cavaliers had enough time to get everyone on the same page and mesh, but time may have run out for the team to make that its emphasis. 

Cleveland’s top priority over the week of the regular season must be health.

Too many times during the Donovan Mitchell era have the Cavaliers been understaffed and outmanned in the postseason because of injuries, and they can’t let that happen again this year.

Key players such as Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Dean Wade, Jaylon Tyson, and Sam Merrill have missed at least four consecutive games this season with an injury. Some of them, such as Allen, Wade, and Tyson, are still out or playing through injuries.

Injuries always have the potential to happen in the playoffs, but the Cavaliers can’t take any chances with letting an avoidable ailment happen over the final regular-season games. 

While the Cavaliers need to focus on health, Kenny Atkinson also has the difficult job of determining which players will be in Cleveland’s playoff rotation, and that starts now with the Cavs clinching a spot in the postseason.

The starting rotation will obviously feature James Harden, Mitchell, Mobley, and Allen, but determining who will be the team’s starting forward is Atkinson’s first big decision. That choice might simply come down to who Cleveland’s first-round matchup is, though. 

Outside of those four clear starters, Keon Ellis, Sam Merrill, Dennis Schroder, Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin will be competing for minutes and roles in Cleveland’s playoff rotation.

Depending on how the rotation shakes out, some players may end up with a consistent role entirely, but that’s what the final few weeks are for.

It wouldn’t be surprising, and in many ways expected, for Atkinson to experiment with a new lineup here and there. It may look good or bad, but now is the time for the Cavs to test a lineup before playing games with much more at stake. 

Cleveland has clinched a spot in the postseason, but their seeding isn’t set in stone yet. That raises the question of whether the Cavs should target a specific seed, first-round opponent, or path to improve their chances of reaching the Finals.

In a recent interview with Cleveland.com, Atkinson didn’t rule out that possibility over the final week of the season. “We’re thinking about it, what could be optimal for us,” said Celveland’s head coach. 

Cleveland’s goal isn’t reaching the playoffs; it's winning a championship, and if they think targeting a specific path gives them the best chance of doing so, then it’s something they must consider. 

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