The Cleveland Cavaliers are rolling to begin the 2024-25 season. Alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Cavs are the only other undefeated team in the Association, sitting at 5-0.
While their first three opponents, the Raptors, Pistons, and Wizards, weren’t the most difficult, Kenny Atkinson’s squad just beat the Knicks and the Lakers on Wednesday night, two playoff teams.
To win every single contest so far means you have to be playing some pretty solid basketball on both ends of the floor. The stats certainly back that up.
Via Jordan Zirm:
The core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley are all performing well. Spida is averaging a team-high 23.8 points while Mobley is putting up 19.2 points per night.
The Cavs have always taken pride in their defense, and it shows. They sit fourth in the league. Their Twin Towers of Allen and Mobley form one of the most daunting frontcourts around.
Cleveland hammered Los Angeles on Wednesday by a score of 134-110 and led by 28 at one point. Mobley dropped 25 points while Mitchell had 24. Allen also grabbed 17 boards and scored 20 points. Garland dropped 12 points and dished out 10 assists, too.
Earlier this week, Mitchell came to Garland’s defense after he erupted for 34 points against the Knicks. The former Vanderbilt standout has faced his fair share of criticism over the last year but has been showing out early on.
“I just want everybody who was on that side to stay on that side when it comes to him. I don’t want there to be a switch-up. I know who a lot of y’all are,” Mitchell said, via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “There are times throughout your career when you have years like that. Obviously, he was going through things personally. You have to grow. You have to figure it out. A lot of people said he couldn’t.”
Trade buzz surrounded Garland for most of the summer but he’s proving his worth right now to this exciting Cavs group.
Cleveland is back in action on Friday against the Orlando Magic, their first-round opponent from last season’s playoffs.
