Cleveland– The Cleveland Cavaliers began the 2024-2025 season red-hot, racing out to the second-best start in NBA history, winning their first 15 games.
While it was easy to downplay their early success to a hot streak or a flukey start, that notion has long been eradicated as we reach the final quarter of the regular season.
Turns out, that hot start was just a preview of what has become a season of pure dominance and constant history-making for Cleveland.
The Cavs continued flexing their muscles in their last game, a 122-82 drubbing of the Orlando Magic in a rematch of their first-round playoff matchup a year ago. 12 different Cleveland players finished the game with a plus-minus of at least +8, the most in a game in Cavaliers history. They also improved their record to 43-0 when beginning the fourth quarter with the lead.
It was Cleveland’s 7th straight victory as they are now in the midst of their third seven-game (or more) winning streak of the season. The Cavs have won 11 of their past 12 games and have an average margin of victory just under 20 (19.7) in those games.
After losing 3-of-5 games in late November following their historic start, Cleveland responded with a 16-1 run into mid-January. That stretch came with numerous key victories over fellow contenders across the association like the Celtics, Thunder, Nuggets, Bucks, Warriors, and the Lakers.
The Cavaliers currently sit with the best record in the league at 48-10 and have spent every single day this season at the top of the standings. They’re 22-6 against teams above.500, by far the best mark in the league with no other team having less than 10 losses in those same games. Cleveland also owns the best record in the league at home (27-4) and on the road (21-6).
With their win over the West’s second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, Cleveland clinched at least a play-in spot. On February 22nd. The Cavs also have one of the best point differentials of all time, sporting a +11.7 through 58 games. That differential would rank as the fourth highest of all time, trailing only the 1971 Los Angeles Lakers, 1970 Milwaukee Bucks and 95′ Chicago Bulls. Each of the teams in the top five of that category went on to win the NBA Finals.
Photo by Charles Murray
Cleveland’s top two ball-handlers, Darius Garland and Ty Jerome, are both a few made free-throws away (6 for Garland and 3 for Jerome) from being in the exclusive 50-40-90 club. The 50 (fg percentage), 40 (3-pt percentage) and 90 (free-throw percentage) feat has been accomplished by just seven players in NBA history.
Garland was one of three Cavaliers to make the All-Star Game this season, joining Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Mobley is currently the odds-on favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year while new addition DeAndre Hunter joins Jerome as two of the top Sixth Man of the Year candidates.
Cleveland has been re-writing the franchise history books all season, already breaking the record for most regular season games scoring 140 points or more (four), 3-pointers made in a game (26), points in a quarter (50), points in a half (91, breaking its own record from earlier this season) and lead at halftime (45 points)…amongst others.
Despite all of this, there are still many skeptics out there that wonder if this type of success can translate to the playoffs. While some teams may peak in the regular season, the continued dominance shown by the Cavaliers this season aligns much closer with some of the great champions of the past rather than teams that ended up being pretenders.
Cleveland has won so much thus far; the remaining 1.5 months of the season doesn’t seem very important for them. While there will be some big games, there seems to be just one more big test for the Cavs until playoff time, tonight against Boston.
A victory against the Celtics all but guarantees the Cavs will be the #1 seed in the East, and it never hurts to knock off the champs on the road.
Regardless of tonight’s outcome, the 2024-2025 season will stand out forever in Cavs and NBA history for what Cleveland has already accomplished and still might. They are well within reach of the franchise record for wins, needing just 19 more to reach the 67 needed to surpass the 2009 Lebron-led squad that won 66 games.
A championship this season could solidify the Cavs as one of the best teams assembled in NBA history. The scariest part? This core is all young, still growing together and all signed for years to come.
Is it too soon to throw out the words ‘potential dynasty incoming’…? Probably. But all of the ingredients needed for one are there. Maybe that won’t sound so crazy come June.
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