If not for two “miracles”, the Cleveland Cavaliers would be 3-7 in their last 10 games. But Max Strus did hit a 59-foot shot to beat Dallas, and Dean Wade did go crazy Tuesday night in Boston, so the wine and gold have tread water since the week before the All Star Game.

Yes, Donovan Mitchell has missed five or those games, and hasn’t played the past three contests with a bone bruise in his knee after playing 44 minutes in a double overtime loss to Chicago last week.

Since Darius Garland broke his jaw in December, there is no question Mitchell is the driving force of the team, so his absence looms large.

After the loss Sunday night to the Knicks, the team that eliminated Cleveland from the playoffs a year ago, once again, talk turned to toughness. Many in the media took that to mean more physical play, but we also think the Cavs could use some mental toughness as well, and not just among the players.

We have long discussed the organization’s avoiding of adding bigger bodies. Yes, they have the two big men starters in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, but other that those two, the Cavaliers usually are smaller at every other position on the floor compared to their opponents.

The point is it is tough to impose your will on other teams with smaller players. Tristan Thompson returning from suspension will help add more size, particularly around the basket.

We will say it one more time: Basketball is the one sport where size matters. For example, the defending champion Denver Nuggets’ smallest starter is Jamal Murray, listed at 6’4″. The Celtics have the best record in the East, and their smallest starter is 6’4″ Derrick White.

Cleveland will play the West’ top team, Minnesota on Friday, and the ‘Wolves’ start two seven footers, and the rest of their lineup is 6’4″, 6’9″ and 6′ point guard Mike Conley.

However, we also think the team needs to be mentally tougher. The Cavs have a history of getting big leads and losing them, seemingly taking their foot off the gas. Heck, against the Knicks, Mobley hinted the team relaxed a bit seeing Knicks’ star Jalen Brunson leave the game in the first minute.

The organization doesn’t help with the incremental steps in evaluating the season. Again, the goal should be to win the NBA title. After the season, you can take pride that progress was made, but the goal should be win every game.

It also doesn’t help that J.B. Bickerstaff comes up with excuses, usually about the referees after many losses. We aren’t saying there isn’t a time to complain about officials, but you can’t do it after half of your losses.

Instead, he should tell his team to play through things. Win in spite of opponents being physical. Do different things when the usual isn’t working. That’s how you develop toughness. Don’t use being a young team as an excuse. After all, Cleveland isn’t even one of the youngest teams in the league. They are right in the middle.

To their credit, they weathered the injuries to Garland and Mobley, and right now, Garland is back, but now Mitchell is out, and Mobley could be out for a while again with an ankle sprain.

Toughness isn’t putting a hard foul on a driving opponent. In fact, these days, it gets you ejected from the game. It does involve having a mindset of overcoming anything thrown at you by an opponent. Not making excuses.

By the way, we understand teams can’t do that every night in the NBA. But there are games teams point to. You have to play those games with a bit of an edge.