Back in December, there were a lot of NBA analysts who believed whatever plans the Cleveland Cavaliers had coming into the season were going to be changed. The team had lost Evan Mobley to a multi-week injury and days later Darius Garland joined him on the sideline.
With uncertainty already surrounding the future of All-Star Donovan Mitchell, many wondered whether or not the Cavaliers would entertain trading him this season. With two of their most important players set to be sidelined for weeks, it was a fair debate to have.
Fast forward to the present day, and anyone who was panicking about the Cavaliers is now resting easy. Not only did they survive those weeks without Mobley and Garland, the team thrived.
Since a three-game losing streak in December, which was the start of their absences, the Cavaliers have been on a tear. Their record dropped to 13-12 after that streak, and since, the team has gone 19-3.
This stretch has catapulted the Cavaliers into second place in the Eastern Conference, as they hold a half-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks. With Mobley and Garland back in the lineup, Cleveland is looking to cement their status among the NBA’s elite.
Riding their second win streak of at least six games in 2024, the Cavaliers are hot. Just how impressive is this stretch for the franchise? As shared by Dave McMenamin of ESPN, it is the best a Cavaliers team has ever played without LeBron James being on the roster.
“Just how good has Cleveland been lately? The Cavs’ 14-1 record over their past 15 games is the best record over a 15-game span without LeBron James on the roster in franchise history, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information. While part of their strength is their depth, Donovan Mitchell is the clear team MVP. He has led them in scoring in eight straight games and in assists in seven of those,” wrote McMenamin.
Mitchell is playing like the star Cleveland hoped they were getting when they made that blockbuster deal with the Utah Jazz in the 2022 off-season. He carried the team without Garland and Mobley in the lineup and continues putting up big numbers with them back in the mix.
It will be interesting to see if the Cavaliers look to make any moves ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline on Thursday. A small trade to improve on the fringes could be in the works, as Cleveland likely isn’t going to rock the boat much given how good their chemistry and cohesion currently are.
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