There are so many remarkable numbers associated with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. They are currently on a 15-game winning streak, their second such span of this season, and their third winning skein of 10 or more game during 2024-25.
They clinched the Central Division title (bet you forgot the NBA has divisions) and their magic number to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference is 10. And it’s only March 13th. The season has a month to go.
We have all read stories about how connected the roster is, the remarkable chemistry, and it is led by Donovan Mitchell and Kenny Atkinson. Mitchell sacrificed his numbers for the greater good, playing less minutes, which will hopefully lead to him and all of the Cavaliers being fresher come playoff time.
Winning is learned skill, and these members of the wine and gold have gained knowledge on how to win and they enjoy the feeling of winning.
We understood this about this team, but it was emphasized more during Tuesday’s 15th consecutive win over Brooklyn.
The Cavs were without Mitchell, De’Andre Hunter who was ill, and Ty Jerome who was being rested. As any fan knows, these are three key components to Cleveland’s success this season.
Brooklyn got off to a great start, shooting the ball very well from three-point range. Meanwhile, the wine and gold, normally an excellent three-point shooting team, was ice cold.
In the third quarter, Cleveland fell down by 16 points and it looked like one of those nights in the NBA where a lesser team gets hot, the better team isn’t making shots, and a very good team takes an L. It’s where the term “make or miss league” comes from.
And it would have been easy for the short-handed Cavaliers, with an eight-game lead over Boston in the East, to accept their fate and it wouldn’t have been the end of the world to lose that game.
But the defensive intensity turned up. Dean Wade is a good perimeter defender, but Sam Merrill was out there pestering the Nets’ ball handlers, forcing them to eat up the shot clock and leading to tough shots.
Brooklyn shot 50% (11 for 22) from beyond the arc in the first half, but they hit just 2 of 10 in the third, meanwhile Jarrett Allen scored 11 points and had seven boards in those 12 minutes. The Brooklyn lead, which was 13 at halftime, was trimmed to eight by the end of three.
It was now close enough for Darius Garland to control the fourth quarter, scoring 18 points and Isaac Okoro particularly was tremendous on the defensive end and Cleveland came from behind again.
Another thing on Okoro, we sometimes think the Cavs have limited him by making him a three and D player. He is capable of taking the ball to the basket and had two drives to the hoop in the 4th, including one which put the Cavs ahead.
Yes, the Cavs should’ve won this game. The Nets are 22-43. But sometimes, things aren’t going your way, and it is easy to write the game off. This group didn’t do that, and as usual, it was a collective effort.
Just another reason this team is special and enjoyable to watch.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 