The Cleveland Cavaliers are the hottest team in the NBA.
Cleveland has jumped out the gate with a 9-game winning streak to start the 2024/25 NBA season. They have the most wins in the league and currently sit in first place in the Eastern Conference.
They’re also still the NBA’s only undefeated team.
The Cavs will play the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. Cleveland will be home for that contest, playing a hot Warriors team that just beat the Boston Celtics on the road.
With the Cavaliers playing as well as they are, we figured it was a good time to share some awesome – and encouraging – facts about the Wine & Gold!
Ballin’!: 9 Cavs Facts For 9 Cavs Wins To Start The Season was originally published on wzakcleveland.com
1. Coaching Matters
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New Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson is the first NBA coach in history to win his first 9 games with a new team. No one expects the Cavs to go undefeated, but if they keep playing the way they are, then they may earn home-court advantage in every single round of the playoffs.
2. Donovan Mitchell Is A True Alpha
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The Cavs acquired Donovan ‘Spida’ Mitchell via trade in 2022, and most would probably say that he’s exceeded expectations. This season he leads Cleveland in scoring with 23.8 points per game on an impressive 48.5 FG%.
3. Evan Mobley Has Evolved
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It’s year four with Evan Mobley, and he’s on pace for a career season. Mobley is averaging a career-high 17.3 points 78.6 FT%. He’s even doing it all at 29.7 minutes – a career low for the Cavaliers’ power forward.
4. Darius Garland Is Healthy
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A season ago Darius Garland suffered multiple injuries. Hw broke his jaw in December in a game against the Boston Celtics. He also dealt with ankle, back and neck injuries. This season he’s finally healthy, and like Evan Mobley, so far having a career year. The 24-year-old is shooting a blistering 52.3% from the field and a ludicrous 46.9% from 3.
5. The Bench Crew Is Ballin
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The Cavs bench has been another bright spot for Kenny Atkinson’s new squad. Statmuse says the Cavs currently have the No. 1 most productive bench in the NBA. The backup crew is led by Caris Levert (12.6 points), Ty Jerome (9.6 points), and Sam Merrill (7.9 points).
6. Jarret Allen Is The X Factor
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Jarret Allen is in his fifth year with Cleveland and he’s among the steadiest players in the NBA. In 9 games so far this season, Allen has 6 double-doubles. His 11.9 rebounds are 6th best in the league.
7. The Eastern Conference Isn’t Good
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The Cavs may also be benefiting from what appears to be a bad Eastern Conference. At this moment there are only two teams in the East with winning records. There are also only four teams that have a positive point differential, and a staggering eight teams are currently on a 2 game or more losing streak.
8. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Is Buzzin
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The Cavs are so far undefeated – thus they’re obviously still undefeated at home. And the fans may have something to do with that. If you haven’t gone to a Cavs game yet, do yourself a favor and get some tickets. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is state of the art and the experience is beyond family-friendly.
9. They’re Doing It Without LeBron
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LeBron James will one day have a statue outside of the previously mentioned Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, but that day ain’t today. It’s important for the Cavaliers to establish an identity that lives separate from King James, and so far this season they’re doing exactly that.
