The Cleveland Cavaliers did not enter the 2024-25 season with high expectations from pundits; it seems as though they’ve plateaued as a middle of the pack playoff team in the Eastern Conference, and not too many were high on them considering that they did not make too many moves in the offseason to up their championship equity, so to speak. But the Cavs continue to roll, following up their incredible 129-122 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 132-126 win over the Toronto Raptors on the second night of a back-to-back.
As a result, the Cavs move to 33-4 on the season, continuing the 73-win pace they’re on. Even the most optimistic fan of the team could not have foreseen this level of greatness from Cleveland for this campaign, and now, even a prominent analyst from ESPN such as Brian Windhorst is admitting that there are no limits to what the Cavs can achieve in 2025.
“This team can win four playoff rounds,” Windhorst said on ESPN Cleveland’s 5 Good Minutes with Windy.
At this point, there is no reason to doubt the Cavs’ ability to weather any adversity that comes their way. Their team is stacked, and with continuity and a coaching change, they have blossomed into one of the league’s biggest powerhouses, which is no mean feat.
There were many rumors over the offseason suggesting that the Cavs may want to blow up their core, with Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen prominently featuring in trade rumors. Even Donovan Mitchell, prior to signing his extension, was believed to be angling for an exit. But everyone’s faith in the roster has been paying off, and the goal now is to translate this regular-season dominance into playoff success.
Brian Windhorst is high on the Cavs
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The Cavs did not fluke their way into a 33-4 record through most of the first half of the 2024-25 season. They have played with incredible togetherness, with everyone playing their role to a T, and the team’s core four has kept the team humming. And Brian Windhorst likens this tidal shift for the Cavs to the emergence of the Golden State Warriors, a team that grew into a dynasty following the hiring of Steve Kerr.
“This was a group that I admit I thought that they couldn’t work together after last season, I said they’re underachieving. They have to maybe consider breaking them up,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s First Take. “[But] the way the Cavs play, everybody who steps on the floor can hit a three, and the way they move the ball is reminiscent of the way the Warriors played when they first started their run.”
