The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the league’s biggest surprises in the 2024-25 season. Not too many expected that they’ll be emerging as one of the best teams in the association after being a middle of the road playoff team over the past two seasons, and now, they have brought upon themselves expectations that they will be among the league’s biggest threats to win the 2025 NBA championship.

Just to prove further that the Cavs are a prime candidate to win it all in 2025, there isn’t quite a team like theirs that goes on hot streaks like they do. As pointed out by the TNT broadcast of the Cavs’ 122-82 demolition of the Orlando Magic, the team they beat in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, Cleveland owns three of the four longest winning streaks of any Eastern Conference team. Currently, they are in the middle of an eight-game winning streak, which is their third eight-plus win streak of the current campaign.

The Cavs may not be the infallible team they were to begin the year, but they have managed to retain their place atop the East standings by maximizing the depth they have at their disposal to cover for some of the absences of their key guys. On Tuesday night, the Cavs were without Darius Garland, and yet they still drubbed the Magic, a team with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, by 40 points.

All hail the Cavs, the emerging new king of the East

Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) reacts with guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the three-point contest during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

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Of course, until further notice, the Boston Celtics are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. They are the reigning champions after all. Regardless, the Cavs are coming to snatch their chain.

This depth of theirs was underrated heading into the new campaign; Ty Jerome, in particular, has been a godsend despite being one of the most unheralded signings of the offseason. Jerome has been a game-changer off the Cavs bench, and against the Magic, he put up another 20 points in just 21 minutes of play.

It will serve the fans best if they do not underrate what the Cavs can do as they look to enter the playoffs with the best record in the East. They have the size to deal with the bigger teams in the league, while they also have a ton of depth across multiple positions, with key reserves such as Jerome ready to turn the outlook of a series around really quickly.