Kenyon Martin Criticizes Cavaliers Players for Missing Time During Pacers Series
Kenyon Martin didn’t hold back in his criticism of certain Cavaliers players for missing games due to injuries during their second-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Cleveland’s disappointing playoff exit — especially after such a strong regular season — has come under scrutiny, particularly from Martin, who appeared on Gilbert Arenas’ Gil’s Arena Podcast on Friday. During the episode, Martin called out Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and De’Andre Hunter for not pushing through their injuries and playing in key games.
“You’re not suiting up? Come on, give me something,” Martin said around the 3:45 mark. “We already know Darius Garland’s not healthy.
He missed Game 1, so playing in Game 2 was unlikely. But De’Andre Hunter — the team played better once you joined — and Evan Mobley is a nightly necessity for his defense and presence. When neither played in Game 2, I knew they were done. No heart.”
Martin added that if he were Donovan Mitchell, he’d be confronting the team about the need for tougher players, even suggesting roster changes.
His main argument was that if Hunter and Mobley were healthy enough to play in Game 3, they should’ve found a way to push through and contribute in Game 2. Hunter was dealing with a dislocated thumb, Mobley had a sprained ankle, and Garland was limited by a lingering toe injury from the first round against the Miami Heat.
Despite Martin’s tough words, the Cavaliers had a remarkable regular season, winning 64 games — their best showing without LeBron James — and Coach Kenny Atkinson was named Coach of the Year. But Cleveland still hasn’t made it past the second round since James left in 2018.
With Donovan Mitchell at the helm, they’ll have to make adjustments this offseason if they want to finally break through to the Eastern Conference Finals.
