Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers go into the NBA playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the highest-scoring offense during the regular season and one of the favorites for the championship.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Cavs had a big-picture plan to be fully healthy heading into the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The plan worked. As Cleveland returned to the practice floor Thursday afternoon, its first full session ahead of Sunday night’s first-round series opener against either Atlanta or Miami, there were no lingering injury concerns.

If Milwaukee Bucks superstar Damian Lillard isn’t back soon, they may lose to the Indiana Pacers in the first round which would help the Cavs avoid Giannis Antetokounmpo who could prove to be a nightmare matchup with his extraordinary athleticism and power.