Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell. David Richard-Imagn Images

Cavaliers, Thunder prove their regular-season records were for real

By Sai Mohan | Last updated Apr 29, 2025 9:09 AM ET

The top-seeded Cavaliers and Thunder didn't just sweep their first-round playoff opponents; they drubbed them.

While the Cavs destroyed the Heat by an average margin of 30.5 points, the Thunder beat the Grizzlies across four games by 19.5 points.

The thumping success is an early indicator that the teams are not just regular-season wonders and may have the tools to win it all. Both teams were heavily doubted despite their 60-win seasons, with many expecting them to fold against more experienced, playoff-tested teams.

ESPN's Marcus Morris made the astonishing statement that the Thunder are "not deep enough" to make a run at the NBA title. Patrick Beverley similarly disrespected the Cavaliers by suggesting that "no one is afraid" of Donovan Mitchell and Co. entering the postseason.

Beverley probably regretted making those comments after watching the Cavaliers obliterate the Heat, 138-83, in a series-clinching Game 4 win on Monday. Kenny Atkinson's men made NBA history by beating the Cavaliers by a combined margin of 122 points across four wins.

Many of those analysts could be forced to eat more crow in the coming weeks, especially if the Cavaliers and Thunder continue to dominate their opponents.

ROUND ONE. JOB'S NOT DONE. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/Sh3myRYcDQ
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) April 29, 2025

Next stop: Western Conference Semifinals pic.twitter.com/CWrgcGjEmZ
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 26, 2025

Both teams are awaiting the winners of the 4-5 matchups ahead of the second round. The Cavs will most likely face the Pacers, who own a 3-1 series lead over a Bucks team that has lost Damian Lillard to a season-ending Achilles injury. The Thunder will face either the Nuggets or the Clippers, who are tied 2-2 in their series.

The scary thing for the rest of the league is that both juggernauts have refused to get carried away by their first-round sweeps, reiterating that they still have a ways to go. Both come across as well-oiled machines that will be hard to put away over a seven-game series.

Sai Mohan

A veteran sportswriter based in Portugal, Sai covers the NBA for Yardbarker and a few local news outlets. He had the honor of covering sporting events across four different continents as a newspaper reporter. Some of his all-time favorite athletes include Mike Tyson, Larry Bird, Luís Figo, Ayrton Senna and Steffi Graf.

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