The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland underwent a major transformation for Friday’s NBA Cup opener between the Cavaliers and Bulls. However the one factor that remained unchanged was the house staff’s sheer dominance.
The Cavaliers smoked the Bulls 144-126 to enhance to 14-0, tying the 2002-03 Mavericks and the 1957-58 Celtics for the third-best start in NBA history. If Cleveland can beat the Hornets on Sunday, they are going to be a part of the 1993-94 Rockets and 1948-49 Capitols for the second-best begin at 15-0, trailing solely the 2015-16 Warriors, who started 24-0.
The 14-0 begin provides Cleveland its longest successful streak in franchise historical past, surpassing three separate 13-0 runs that the staff registered in two completely different LeBron James eras.
Moreover, Kenny Atkinson has turn out to be the primary head coach in NBA historical past to start out 14-0 with a brand new staff.
Atkinson — an offensive-minded coach who beforehand served as Steve Kerr’s assistant at Golden State — has his imprints throughout his new staff. The Cavs have scored 130 or extra factors six times this season by means of 14 video games. Compared, they reached the 130-point threshold solely 4 instances by means of 82 video games final season and thrice the 12 months earlier than.
Cleveland is averaging a league-high 123.4 factors this season, a 12 months after scoring 112.6 per sport for 20th in the league. It has been a outstanding turnaround. Whereas the Cavs had been a extra defensive-minded staff underneath J.B. Bickerstaff, Atkinson has ensured that lots of his predecessor’s defensive ideas have carried by means of in his tenure. The 2024-25 Cavaliers are seventh in defensive efficiency (110.3), a formidable feat for a staff scoring in bunches each evening.
Essentially the most fascinating facet of the Cavaliers’ turnaround is that they’ve introduced again primarily the identical roster from final season, with solely Luke Travers and JT Thor becoming a member of the staff on two-way contracts.
That is exactly why Atkinson deserves further credit score for scripting the turnaround. The staff’s franchise star, Donovan Mitchell, could not cease raving about Atkinson’s management after Friday’s win. Mitchell revealed that Atkinson was upset that the staff conceded 73 factors on the midway level to the Bulls and gave his gamers a dressing down.
“Clearly we have not misplaced, however how do you discover methods to proceed to construct habits? It is when your coach continues to teach you laborious, not letting any psychological errors or lapses. That is what you need in a coach,” Mitchell told the media of Atkinson.
Some have additionally credited Mitchell for re-signing with Cleveland within the offseason and shutting down talk of him leaving the franchise as a free agent in 2025. By re-committing, Mitchell put any distractions the staff could have confronted to relaxation.
The 14-0 Cavs will subsequent host the Hornets on Sunday. After that, they are going to face a giant take a look at in opposition to the reigning NBA champions, Celtics, on Tuesday. If Mitchell and Co. can win each these video games, they are going to be solely eight wins away from equalling the 2015-16 Warriors for one of the best begin ever.
