The East is clear; the Cavaliers are the table toppers after a long season of consistency and a few stumbles lately. The playoff is almost here, and they are gearing up like everyone else. But let’s get one thing straight: Ty Jerome is no longer just “that guy off the bench.” According to Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, it took three months to believe what he was seeing, but it’s real. We’re living in the Ty era, people. And as the Cavaliers prepare for their title run with a 63–17 record, Jerome, a rebounding renaissance, and a deep-bench master plan might be the secret ingredients to Cleveland’s postseason chaos. The confidence? Comes from the comeback after his 5 game break. He has been hitting the court hard with consistent performance: 24 against the Pacers, 18 against the Bulls, and 20 against the Kings.

Now raise your hand if you thought Ty Jerome would be dropping 19.8 points per game over his last five appearances, with 62.3% shooting and 65.2% from downtown. No one? Exactly. But with Darius Garland out and Donovan Mitchell nursing an ankle tweak, Ty has morphed into a microwave scorer with Durant-like confidence, minus the 7-foot wingspan.

In just 22 minutes a night, Jerome has delivered silky buckets, on-point playmaking (3.8 assists), and timely threes (3 per game). He’s no longer just a fill-in — he’s a certified problem for defenses, and Atkinson agrees: “It took me three months,” Kenny admitted.

“Honestly, Chris it’s it’s cuz cuz you weren’t you know it was hard cuz he just didn’t have a body of work in this league so some guys it’s maybe a little shorter for him i think we it it took longer you know to really see and now again tonight he just confirms you know confirms that he he’s going to be um big cont contributor in the playoffs.” Consider that your postseason scouting report. Ty Jerome is no fluke.

Grit, boards, and bench wars: Atkinson’s not-so-secret weapon

Cleveland’s biggest weakness heading into the playoffs? Rebounding. Atkinson didn’t sugarcoat it after their recent battle: “We’ve been struggling on the boards,” he said. “thought Dre Dre was great I mean he was um hitting and and and seems like he was just cleaning up everything obviously Tristan and that’s what he does really good rebounding but really the whole squad rebounded tonight cp was in there we were fighting sam was in there um I just loved our fight and our grit and how we’re um um defending defending one-on-one we had a great great shell and then we we were finish it with re, finishing it with with rebounds.”

That fight wasn’t just symbolic — it’s a

strategy. With Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley anchoring the frontcourt, Atkinson has turned to a rotating cast of hard-nosed grinders off the bench — think Tristan Thompson, Craig Porter Jr., and yes, Sam Merrill — to fill the physical gap.

The result? Cleveland held its own in a gritty loss to the Pacers, resting nearly half the starting lineup, yet still kept the fight close. No Mitchell, no Garland, no Mobley? No problem — because this bench has developed an identity: hustle, rebounds, and fight for every inch.

Now? They’re planning, going deep into the bench, and turning the last couple of regular-season games in their favor before heading to the big stage. First against the Knicks tonight and then the Pacers next, as they set for one last audition for postseason minutes. This isn’t just about star power. It’s about grit. Kenny Atkinson has molded this team into a fast-paced, high-scoring, all-weather machine. They’re first in offensive rating, second in net rating, and oh yeah, a franchise-record 16-game winning streak earlier this season.

Key players? Sure: Donovan Mitchell: 24.0 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.5 RPG Evan Mobley/Jarrett Allen: Defensive anchors De’Andre Hunter: Underrated mid-season glue piece Garland: Floor general, if healthy But it’s the rise of guys like Jerome, Merrill, Porter Jr., and Thompson that gives Cleveland the flexibility no one’s talking about.

The Cavs will wrap up the regular season at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse when they take on the Pacers. Whether Mitchell or Garland plays is still up in the air, but that’s almost secondary now. The team’s focus is razor sharp: protect health, keep the fight alive, and get weird with lineups before the playoffs.

And somewhere, lurking in that second unit, Ty Jerome is warming up.

Cleveland has the top seed, elite offense, defensive grit, and a coach who trusts his bench. If you’re not scared of the Cavs yet… you should be.

Wanna go crazy in the playoffs? Cleveland’s already there.