All streaks will inevitably come to an end. The Cavaliers’ undefeated start to the season, which saw them come back and beat the odds on numerous occasions fell to the Celtics in an NBA cup game where Boston drained 22 three-point shots. An off night was more than likely to blame for a loss where Cleveland was able to cut a 20-point deficit to three late in the fourth, but this was still a good team, and the expectation remained that the Cavs should continue to win nearly every game. As November came to a close, however, the Cavs faced the seemingly easy task of a two-game stretch against the middling Atlanta Hawks, one of which with NBA Cup implications. Against all expectation, the Hawks would go on to soundly defeat the Cavaliers in both of these games leaving the fanbase confused and the team in a state of minor turmoil. Let’s take a look at the Cavaliers’ response since then and what we can expect from the team as we continue on into December.
The most evident concern with the Cavaliers’ back-to-back losses came simply in the observation that the Hawks at the time appeared to be a bad team. They were not without their bright moments having toppled the Celtics in Boston a few weeks prior, however, the team had also lost twice to a Wizards team with no other wins. Despite their early fall into mediocrity, it seems the Hawks were actually starting to find a sense of team identity centering around star point guard Trae Young. The Cavaliers struggled to find an answer for Young allowing him to score 41 points and 33 assists across the two games. For defense which has remained generally stout this season under rookie Head Coach Kenny Atkinson, this was especially surprising. For Atlanta, however, the sky has been the limit as they’ve continued, winning 6 straight on their way to becoming the hottest team in the NBA and digging their way into playoff contention as we pass the first quarter mark on the season.
While the Hawks have proven themselves to be a good team as they’ve moved forward, at the end of November the Cavalier’s losses hung like a stain on the team’s once immaculate resumé. As the adage goes, however, “It’s not about if you fall, but rather if you get up,” and the Cavs choice was obvious. Following their disappointing losses the Cavs were faced with two easily lost games against the Celtics and Nuggets. It would have been easy for the players to lose their edge following their losses, to relax and play easier now that the pressure to win had finally softened. Against the odds, however, the Cavaliers were able to win another close game against the Celtics at home, and soundly defeat the Nuggets in a game where Nikola Jokic scored a triple-double. The Cavs were also able to convincingly beat the Wizards between those two matchups in a pseudo-tune-up game against a team whose wish list includes an entirely new roster.
While the Nuggets haven’t been the most convincing team this season, they will continue to be a contender so long as Nikola Jokic decides to play for the team. The Cavs’ ability to respond to the performance of the Mile High City’s unicorn with 73 combined points from Garland, Mitchell, and Levert shows the continued resiliency of this team. Cleveland has itself a team which truly knows how to win, and with Kenny Atkinson at the helm, it has been impossible to ever truly count the Cavs out of a game.
While the Cavalier’s win against the Nuggets has been impactful in righting the ship after their late November slump, it’s their win against the Celtics that is more intriguing. So far, the Cavaliers vs. Celtics matchups have produced two quality games each decided by less than five points and going to the home team. Currently, the Cavs hold a one-game lead over the Celtics for the best record in the NBA, but both teams seem destined for a playoff run. These have undoubtedly been the best two teams this season and to have such competitive games shows the importance home-field advantage could be to them in a potential playoff matchup. While there is plenty of season ahead of us the Cavs and Celtics seemed destined to face up in the postseason, though they’ll have to face each other twice more in February next year, splitting locations.
The race between the Celtics and Cavs for the best record in the NBA will likely be a tight race to watch as the season ends, but for now what can we expect from the Cavaliers moving forward? Currently, the Cavaliers aren’t set to face another team with a winning record until their rematch against the Nuggets on December 27th giving them a prime opportunity to build momentum and go on a second major run this season. While there isn’t as much draw in drudging through these unbalanced matchups, it’s been a while since the Cavs have been the heavily favored team. More important than this, however, these games give the Cavs an opportunity to prove they can win the games they are supposed to win after dropping two games to the Hawks. With no likely path to the NBA Cup for the team, it’s this hope and these storylines that we’ll rely on as we continue to pave the path for a chance at the trophy at the end at the season and a likely final series against that team in Boston.
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