Cavaliers already in playoff mode with two games left in regular season

CLEVELAND — The postseason is starting early for the Cavaliers. The players realize the importance of hanging onto the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. If Cleveland (47-33) can maintain the fourth spot, it will earn home-court advantage in its first-round, best-of-seven series. The best way to do that would be to win the final two home games: Tonight against Indiana and Sunday vs. Charlotte. "We have to treat this next game like it's a playoff game," Cavs center Jarrett Allen said. "When game time comes, we have to lock in and settle in on what makes us a good team." The Pacers (46-34) are tied with Orlando for the fifth spot. Either team could be Cleveland's first-round matchup. "We want to go into the playoffs with high spirits," Allen said. "One game could mean the whole difference as to how far you go in the postseason." Cavs swingman Caris LeVert said the Indiana game is "super important." "Obviously, Indy can be a team we see in the first round," he said. "It's important to play your best basketball at this time of the year." In order to be successful in the postseason, the Cavs know that shooting guard Donovan Mitchell must play at a high level. He took a step in the right direction on Wednesday with 29 points and eight assists in the victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. "The biggest thing for me is to continue to build my confidence back up," Mitchell said. "It takes time. It's a process to get back into it." Mitchell missed considerable time with a bone bruise in his left knee and a broken nose. Mitchell has been through these types of things before. He missed the last 19 games of the 2020-21 season in Utah when he tore three ligaments in his ankle. "It's a mental thing," he said. "You have to continue to believe. If I didn't have that situation in Utah, it would be a lot tougher to figure out. You go through things in life for a reason. I want to get 1 percent better every day." Mitchell said he still has some pain in his knee. He said the biggest cure for what ails him is rest. "We don't have time for that," he said. "I consider myself a mentally strong person. I have to find ways to adapt to the situation." Team doctors have told him there's nothing wrong structurally with his knee and that he can't hurt it any further by playing on it. "It's been an interesting second half of the season for me," Mitchell said. "This is happening for a reason. This is just another lesson that God has put in front of me. As angry as I am that I wasn't out there for the last 2½ months, at the end of the day what can I do about it? (I have to) put the work in and be ready when my number is called." The Pacers are the highest-scoring team in the NBA at 122.9 points per game. They are also first in field-goal percentage at .505 and assists. They are the only team making more than half of their shots this season. Point guard Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 20.3 points and a league-high 10.9 assists for Indiana. Cleveland is 1-2 vs. the Pacers this season. Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.