Cleveland– Disappointment. Frustration. Shock.
Those were the feelings around the team and fanbase when the Cleveland Cavaliers walked off the court for the last time in the 24-25 season. A historic season it was. Starting with a 15-game winning streak. Followed up by two more double-digit winning streaks, including a team record 16 straight wins late in the season.
They won 64 games and easily cruised to the top seed in the Eastern Conference. None of that mattered as they fell short to the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the Playoffs, making this upcoming season one of the most important in team history.
The Cavs were able to bring their entire core back, led by the big four of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. They lost Ty Jerome and Isaac Okoro but added Lonzo Ball, Thomas Bryant, Larry Nance Jr., and Killian Hayes.
With injuries to some of the other top teams in the Eastern Conference like Boston and Indiana, the Cavs are the favorites to win the Conference for the first time in nearly a decade. The excuses have evaporated. Injuries suck, but history won’t give you a pass for them.
It’s time to make it happen.
Luckily for the Cavs fans, the players, coaches, and entire organization seem to understand the assignment.
Though they’ll start the season without two of their starters, Garland and Max Strus, there is more than enough depth to weather the storm and remain atop the East standings.
The aura and vibes around the team seem different. Bringing in vets with leadership qualities like Ball, Bryant and Nance Jr. already seem to be having positive effects on the team.
Mitchell, coming off of an All-NBA first team season, has been saying the right things since the moment they lost game 5. He understands nothing will truly matter until the Cavs can show it in the Playoffs.
To be clear though, Cleveland did show a bit in the Playoffs.
They beat the Miami Heat by a record margin in the first round, continuing what had been a historically dominant offensive season. They’ll be bringing back the same system that produced the top offense in the league last year.
It will be reigning Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson’s second season with the team. It’ll be the first time Atkinson has had the entire off-season with the team, and he has taken advantage. The Cavs Coach has spent personal one-on-one time with many of the players, building on relationships and better understanding of his personnel.
Many players, like Mitchell and Mobley, have held team camps throughout the off-season. Everything seems to point to a team that is ready to take the final step into true championship-contention.
Mobley, coming off a season in which he won Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-NBA second team selection, has bulked up and added even more to his game offensively. Ball has been in Coach Atkinson’s ear all training camp and is already becoming a leader on the team.
Defensively, the Cavs seem to be working on becoming more aggressive and forcing the opposing team into tough shots and turnovers.
After being a top 3 defensive team the previous three years, the Cavs slipped to 7th overall last season.They’re working to getting back to the top-end defensive team that, led by Mobley and Allen, has all the pieces needed to do so.
DeAndre Hunter may end up starting in his first full season with the Cavs, but he is already the favorite to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. Coach Atkinson said Hunter may have been the MVP of the off-season for the work he’s put in.
The Cavs have depth with young guys like Jaylen Tyson and Tyrese Proctor vying for a spot in the rotation.
All the ingredients are there. The additions in the off-season were about as good as you can hope for given their salary cap restrictions. The core has another year of experience.
Cleveland is one of two clear favorites, along with OKC, to win the championship. At this point, the only thing stopping them is themselves. Regardless, this is a special team. One of the best built rosters in the league and in team history.
It will be a fun season if you’re a Cavs fan. Hopefully ending with a parade.
The speculation is almost over as the season begins in just two weeks.
As Bart Scott would say…’CAN’T WAIT.’
The post A look at the upcoming Cleveland Cavaliers’ season appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.