CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers continue their dominant run, maintaining their position as the NBA’s leading team with impressive performances. The frequency of their victories has even left players slightly disoriented about their latest achievements.
Center Jarrett Allen, smiling, mentioned, “What did we do? Oh, we clinched the Central Division. That’s something. We had fun tonight. We still celebrate the little things.” Despite the nonchalant tone, the Cavaliers’ 109-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday was far from insignificant.
This triumph allowed Cleveland to match its franchise record of 15 consecutive victories, previously established during the first 15 games of the season. This remarkable feat also ties them with the fifth-best season start in NBA history, boasting a 55-10 record.
Even without key players like All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell (left groin soreness), sixth man De’Andre Hunter (illness), and sharpshooter Ty Jerome (rest), who were seated on the sidelines, the Cavaliers came back from being 18 points down in the second half against the Nets.
All-Star point guard Darius Garland was instrumental in this comeback, scoring 18 of his 30 points during the final quarter. He mentioned Mitchell’s clear and succinct directive to him during the rally: “Shoot the ball.”
Garland, who has spent his whole career with Cleveland, touched base with team president Koby Altman post-game. Notably, the Cavaliers hadn’t clinched a division title since before Garland was drafted in 2019. Garland asked Altman if there would be a banner at the practice facility, understanding the significance of regular-season achievements while remaining focused on future goals.
Cleveland’s playoff run in 2024 was marred by injuries to key players like Mitchell and Allen, leading to their exit against eventual champions Boston in the semifinals. First-year coach Kenny Atkinson reassured that Mitchell’s current injury isn’t serious and expressed commitment to managing player rest judiciously as the season progresses.
“To win 15 straight games at this juncture, there is fatigue, so it’s really quite an accomplishment,” said Atkinson. “What we’ve done is remarkable, but we aim for greater achievements. We’ll remember this as a significant milestone.”
The Cavaliers have their sights set on securing the No. 1 seed in the East as they lead by eight games over the second-place Celtics, with 17 games remaining. They also hold a two-game lead over the Western Conference leaders, the Oklahoma City Thunder, for the best record across the NBA.
At Rocket Arena, Cleveland has established a solid home-court advantage, sporting the league’s best home record at 30-4. Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernandez acknowledged, “Their confidence and the swagger they’re playing with, you can see it in close games. They’re very well coached and it’s fun to watch them play. It helps the business of the NBA.”
