Cleveland Cavaliers are 10-0. Are they for real?

So, 10-0. We’re not speaking concerning the defending champion Boston Celtics or the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, who’re tabbed as one of many groups destined for a deep playoff run. The Cleveland Cavaliers have run off the primary 10 video games of the 2024-25 season, and the vast majority of these have been in dominant vogue. Quantity 10 was at residence in opposition to the 7-1 Golden State Warriors, profitable 136-117 on Friday evening. The sport wasn’t that shut. The Cavs have been up 83-42 at halftime. That isn’t a typo. That’s a rating that makes the Warriors marvel if SkyNet has been compromised.

The Cavs are off to the perfect begin in franchise historical past. World B. Free couldn’t get the Cavs to start out 10-0. Mark Value and Brad Daugherty didn’t make it occur. Bob Sura and Shawn Kemp didn’t come shut. Not even LeBron James was in a position to orchestrate a 10-0 to start out a season (although he did go 9-1 to start 2016-17). Virtually the identical Cavs roster (or the core at the least) began 8-2 again within the 2022-23 season, however this feels a lot completely different from that group. I’ve been somebody who continues to say the Cavs are a kind of groups we’ve got to see excel within the playoffs earlier than I’ll purchase them as a real title contender. Nonetheless, this begin has made me query if it’s smart to stay with such stubbornness. Cleveland is placing on a present that’s corresponding to among the nice groups within the final 15-20 years. Possibly ever?

There’s a dominance taking place that isn’t simply concerning the 10 wins. It’s the way in which they’re profitable with Kenny Atkinson on the helm. This wasn’t a nasty Cavs group final season. J.B. Bickerstaff had this squad taking part in nice basketball during the last couple years, and he managed their huge variety of accidents and video games missed about in addition to you may count on. Nonetheless, he received scapegoated by the entrance workplace when the Cavs have been trounced within the second-round final season, after barely surviving the first-round in opposition to Orlando. Now, they’re taking part in much more impressed basketball beneath the early days of Atkinson, who was employed to interchange Bickerstaff this summer season.

I feel nearly everyone, even these followers in Cleveland, would nonetheless have the Celtics (8-2) as the perfect group within the East. And the street naturally goes by way of them, irrespective of how the standings find yourself. So, how severely ought to we take the Cavs’ begin? How a lot of this is a sign of a leap being taken by the group? With Donovan Mitchell sticking round (three-year, $150 million extension this summer season) and Evan Mobley making a leap, has this group calmed all the considerations of the previous to beat perceived roster building points?

Let’s reply some questions on this Cavs begin and what it might imply in my favourite method doable: I’m going to speak to myself.

Has the Cavaliers’ 10-0 begin been inflated by a weak schedule? 

That is truly a reasonably attention-grabbing dynamic of their nice begin. The win over the Warriors was stellar. Golden State is off to an amazing begin, and Cleveland lit up the Warriors’ world-class protection early and sometimes. The Cavs have high quality wins over the Knicks and Dubs, and so they obliterated the Lakers. They only beat the Pelicans in New Orleans, who’re fairly injured however nonetheless had Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Let’s name that 3.5 high quality wins off the rip. They began the season tuning up the Raptors, Pistons and Wizards. They’re anticipated to win these. However they nonetheless received them and did so by a mixed 61 factors. In addition they have a win over a superb Magic group, however it was after Paolo Banchero received injured and missed the sport. We might give them one other half-quality win to push it to 4.

The opposite two video games — two shut wins over the Bucks — is the place it will get somewhat sophisticated as a result of the Bucks are alleged to be good … however they’re very a lot not. Milwaukee is meant to be one of many prime groups within the East, and it’s close to the underside regardless of its two stars being wholesome and taking part in nicely. So, you may nitpick the wins over the Bucks being shut requires the Cavs, however finally, they received two clutch video games. They didn’t crumble. Whether or not it’s 3.5, 4, 4.5 or 5 high quality wins (relying on the way you measure the Bucks video games), that’s nonetheless greater than sufficient for a 10-game pattern dimension. They’re principally smacking the groups in entrance of them.

What’s completely different concerning the Cavs of the earlier two seasons? 

Earlier than we dive into how these Cavs measure up in opposition to the earlier two seasons, it’s essential to notice the Cavs had a sluggish begin to final season with Darius Garland lacking 4 of the primary 10 video games, Jarrett Allen lacking 5 of these first 10, and Donovan Mitchell lacking a sport. Though they’d a deeper bench, the core 4 wasn’t totally wholesome to start the marketing campaign. With that mentioned, these Cavs are even blowing the 2 different groups out of the water. That is smart contemplating they’re dominating everyone by 12.7 factors per 100 possessions. The Cavs are taking part in offense at an unheard-of degree. Try how they examine to their first 10 video games in every of the prior two seasons.

Cleveland’s taking pictures has been incendiary. The Cavs are literally taking pictures a decrease 3-point quantity than they did final season. The distinction is the Cavs appear like final 12 months’s Celtics, with 42.7 % of their makes an attempt entering into. Like a Pete Davidson tabloid relationship, this most likely isn’t sustainable, and it’s making folks taking part in the Cavs marvel why life isn’t breaking the identical method for themselves. Of their nine-highest quantity shooters from distance, solely Mobley (31.6 %) and Georges Niang (34.2 %) have decrease than 35 % accuracy. Niang is a profession 39.6-percent 3-point shooter, too.

It looks like all the pieces the Cavs put up goes in. Cleveland additionally isn’t creating this offense by residing on the free-throw line and taking part in by way of the whistles. Cleveland sits close to the underside in free-throw quantity, that means the group is simply merely making photographs at a better price than everyone else.

While you examine the Cavs’ historic begin with how the earlier two seasons ended up after 82 video games, you may see a whole lot of similarities in how the protection carried out. They pressure turnovers. They rebound nicely. They hold taking pictures percentages in opposition to them low. And so they do an excellent job of defending with out fouling. So, if the protection holds and so they’re in a position to rating even near the speed they’re, this could put the Cavs able to manage their future with home-court benefit within the East.

Their offense is presently higher than Boston’s historic offense from final season. The Cavs’ protection is somewhat higher, as nicely. It’s early, however virtually all the pieces on offense throughout the board is best than final season’s Celtics. Nonetheless, 10 video games doesn’t a championship run make.

How’s the Donovan Mitchell expertise now?

I’ve been impressed with how little Mitchell has needed to do throughout this run. That doesn’t imply he’s Tyrese Haliburton getting a gold medal this summer season. Mitchell has been taking part in, and taking part in nice. Every thing has simply been comparatively straightforward and inside the stream of the offense. Mitchell is averaging 22.6 factors, 4.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and is placing up 47.2/38.5/82.4 taking pictures splits in 29.9 minutes per sport.

The five-time All-Star performed in solely 55 video games final season, however let’s examine it to his 2022-23 marketing campaign, which ended with him being named All-NBA Second-Workforce. That season, Mitchell averaged 28.3-4.4-4.3 in 35.8 minutes per evening. He had 48.4/38.6/86.7 taking pictures splits, that are very corresponding to what we’re seeing proper now. His utilization price is definitely larger now at 30.8 % in comparison with 30.1 % two seasons in the past. The Cavs are getting comparatively the identical manufacturing out of him, however they don’t even want him for half-hour an evening. If this will hold his legs contemporary and himself comparatively injury-free with the lesser workload, then possibly that saves him for the playoffs.

What about Evan Mobley? 

Now, we’re entering into the true basketball nerdery. The leap folks have been hoping Mobley would take is certainly right here. He’s not a 3-point shooter now like many have been hoping. At the least not but. I discussed his low 3-point proportion above at 31.6 %. It was 37.5 % earlier than the Warriors sport, when he went 0 of three. We’re early within the season, so issues can fluctuate like that, however he actually simply doesn’t shoot sufficient of them but to even take it severely good or unhealthy. And that’s wonderful as a result of he’s demolishing everyone all around the ground.

The 23-year-old can be not taking part in even half-hour per sport, clocking in at 29.3 per evening. Mobley’s scoring price is up 1.6 factors per sport from final 12 months regardless of him taking part in 1.3 fewer minutes. Nonetheless, his utilization price has jumped from 20.6 % final season to 24.3 % this season. It’s by far the best mark of his profession. Atkinson is trusting Mobley with a a lot larger position within the offense, and we haven’t seen a major drop in his effectivity. Mix that with the smothering protection that has by some means gotten even higher than it was earlier than, and you’ve got a virtually full trendy huge man. In reality, possibly these Victor Wembanyama DPOY predictions have been a 12 months too early with how Mobley might find yourself if this retains going.

What are the remaining questions?

Cavs followers might be sick of hear this sort of rhetoric, however it’s fairly easy. Are the Cavs going to be a special group within the playoffs? They have been glorious in 2022-23, profitable 51 video games, sporting a top-10 offense and the perfect protection on the earth. They shot 32.7 % from deep of their five-game collection thumping by the fingers of the New York Knicks. Regardless of all of the accidents final season, they nonetheless received 48 video games. Offensively, they have been tough (18th) as compared, however nonetheless had a top-10 protection. They beat Orlando in seven video games, after which received beat down by the Celtics in 5 video games. To be truthful, Mitchell missed a pair video games in that collection as Jarrett Allen missed all of them.

It’s additionally truthful to marvel if the Cavs are extra just like the 2022-23 Sacramento Kings in the case of the offense. That Kings group had the perfect offense in NBA historical past up till the playoffs. Then, it received into a tricky first-round matchup with the Warriors and ended up shedding in seven video games. That historic offense sputtered utterly in that playoff collection. Which may be the concern with the Cavs. We haven’t seen this degree of offense out of them. To be truthful, we’ve barely seen it out of anyone. Final 12 months’s Celtics are a better comp numbers-wise, however extrapolating that out from 10 video games to 82 plus a deep postseason run is hard.

Additionally, is the East as top-heavy as we assumed? Boston continues to be nice. The Knicks are actually good however nonetheless have a protracted strategy to go. The Bucks have already got folks questioning if Doc Rivers did one final money seize, and his seat is getting sizzling. The 76ers are off to a horrible begin, nonetheless ready to be wholesome and have a nasty historical past of remaining wholesome as soon as we get to the postseason. Orlando is harmful. Indiana is succesful. The Warmth don’t actually have that tradition vibe like they did again in 2022. So, possibly that is the fitting panorama for Cleveland to endure and maintain for a deep playoff run?

When ought to folks begin believing? 

It could possibly be enjoyable to consider now! Possibly it finally ends up trying like believing within the early Warriors. Possibly it finally ends up trying like believing in final 12 months’s Celtics forming a Voltron of offensive firepower. Folks like to be early on having fun with a factor and believing in it earlier than anyone else. That method, they get to brag to their buddies and, extra importantly, strangers on the web who’re continually refreshing Twitter (I’m by no means calling it X) to see if they will yell at somebody they’ll by no means meet and name them silly. It’s the lifeblood of society now and feels so rewarding if you’re proper.

It additionally would possibly find yourself trying like that Utah Jazz group in 2021 that received 52 of 72 video games, had a top-three offense, a top-four protection, an incredible degree of dominance and ended up flaming out within the postseason. Sadly, Mitchell is all too aware of that instance. Regardless, the Cavs have at the least began to vary the narrative and the notion of them. It’s solely 10 video games, however it’s a historic begin.

(Prime photograph: Jason Miller / Getty Photos )