The Cavaliers put away the Bulls on Monday evening, registering their 12th consecutive win to begin the 2024-25 NBA season. The 12-0 run is tied for the sixth-best begin in NBA historical past with the 1996-97 Bulls and the 1982-83 Sonics.
If Kenny Atkinson and Co. can win their subsequent two video games towards the 76ers (Wednesday) and Bulls (Friday), they are going to tie the 2002-03 Mavericks and the 1957-58 Celtics for the fourth-best begin in NBA historical past. Each these groups began 14-0.
Subsequent on the checklist could be the 1993-94 Rockets and 1948-49 Capitols, each of whom began 15-0, tied for the second-best begin in NBA historical past. The Cavs can attain this mark with a win over the Hornets on Sunday, offered they beat the Sixers and Bulls beforehand.
If the Cavaliers enhance to 15-0 by Sunday, they are going to formally maintain the document for the second-best begin in NBA historical past, solely trailing the 2015-16 Warriors, who began 24-0 en path to a document 73-9 end.
Regardless of main the Cavs to the very best begin in franchise historical past, Donovan Mitchell has cautioned his teammates towards complacency. After Monday’s win, Mitchell stated he was extra involved concerning the crew rounding off into type nearer to the playoffs.
“It is nice. We’re enjoying effectively, vibes are good, however we’ve got to proceed to be this crew,” Mitchell stated, via ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “And that is been my message to the fellows within the locker room. That is nice. We’ll get groups’ finest pictures. We’ll get examined early, however are we going to proceed? And I by no means —little doubt we are going to — however that is been my factor. Are we going to proceed to be this crew January, February, March, April? I believe the fellows all really feel it, but it surely’s nice to get pleasure from these moments too whilst you’re nonetheless having a humble method to it.”
Even when the Cavs’ profitable streak snaps towards the Sixers on Wednesday, they are going to have the excellence of getting the third-best begin by any crew within the twenty first century and the very best begin of the last decade.
Moreover, a 12-0 begin offers them wonderful odds to make the NBA Finals or at the least the convention finals. Of the seven earlier groups to begin 12-0, 5 reached the NBA Finals, one misplaced within the convention finals and the opposite (82-83 Sonics) misplaced within the first spherical. Primarily, six of these seven groups made deep playoff runs.
