When the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, it snapped a nine-game winning streak. Just before that streak began, the Cavs had an eight-game winning streak. In the past two months, Cleveland has the best winning percentage in the NBA.
Here are 10 reasons why they’ve won 17 of their past 19 games and surged up the standings.
1. Donovan Mitchell’s MVP-level play
Last season, Mitchell finished sixth in voting for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award. He may not finish that high in voting this year, but he’s been a better basketball player by every metric this season. Mitchell is averaging career-best in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, while being just one-tenth of a point per game off his career-high. When this hot streak started, the Cavs were without two All-Star caliber players Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. Mitchell did more than his fair share not only making sure the Cavs were able to stay afloat, but thrive during those six weeks.
2. Jarrett Allen’s dominance
It’s not fair to talk about how good Mitchell has been for the Cavs and not immediately mention Jarrett Allen afterward. Allen didn’t make the All-Star team, but he has a strong case that he should be in Indianapolis this weekend for the festivities. Allen has been the anchor for the Cavs defense. In the past 19 games, opponents are scoring just 102.1 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor. For reference, the worst offense in the NBA scores 107.3xf per 100 possessions. That leads us to …
3. The NBA’s best defense
Entering play Feb. 13, the Memphis Grizzlies averaged the lowest number of points per game in the NBA at 106.7. During this stretch, the Cavs have only allowed eight opponents to score that many points in a game. Essentially, the Cavs have turned their opponents into the worst offense in the NBA on a nightly basis.
4. Depth
When two All-Star caliber players miss significant time, especially at the same time, the depth of the team is going to be tested. While Mobley and Garland were out the Cavs won games thanks to big performances from the likes of Sam Merrill, Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro. Those three players are all internal development success stories. Each is having their best season to date and has been part of some of the team’s best lineups.
5. 3-point shooting
One issue that the Cavs had in recent history was their inability to space the floor properly. It was easy at times for opponents to sag off of players in the corners and clog driving lanes to the rim. That’s been a big change during the past eight weeks. From the start of the season until Dec. 15, the team ranked 18th in the NBA in attempts from 3-point range. Since that point, only one team, the Boston Celtics, has attempted more 3-pointers per game than the Cavs have.
6. Evan Mobley’s return
When it was announced in mid-December that Mobley would be having knee surgery and would miss about six weeks, it was fair to question what he would look like when he returned. Since he’s been back, the Cavs have gotten the best version of Mobley to date. Part of why he has fit in so seamlessly since returning is that he’s been a much more frequent shooter from the outside. In the 21 games he played before his injury, Mobley only attempted 10 total 3-pointers. He’s played eight games since returning and connected on seven of the 13 3-pointers he’s taken. It’s a small sample size, but it’s a big deal.
7. Re-integration of Darius Garland
Introducing Garland back into the swing of things hasn’t been quite as easy as Mobley being back on the floor for the Cavs, but it’s still gone well. While Garland hasn’t quite captured his rhythm, steps like the 12-0 run he guided on Monday night against Philadelphia show that he’s on his way.
8. Flipping the script on the road
One of the issues the Cavaliers had last season was winning away from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. When the team was in Cleveland, they were one of the best in basketball. When they were on the road, they lost more than they won. Things have been much different this season as the Cavs have the best road record in the NBA. That’s a sign of a more mature team than the one in place last year.
9. Coaching
Credit has to be given to Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff for the way he’s guided the team through the past two months. The way Bickerstaff has manipulated certain lineups on the floor has been masterful, but the most impressive thing has been getting this team to play hard on a nightly basis. That’s not always a given in the NBA, but the Cavs thriving while shorthanded is a true testament to Bickerstaff and his staff.
10. A break in the schedule
The Cavs have some impressive wins during this stretch. They’ve beaten the Milwaukee Bucks twice, the L.A. Clippers, Sacramento Kings and Orlando Magic. They’ve also beaten the Washington Wizards three times, the San Antonio Spurs twice and Detroit Pistons once. Those three teams are owners of the three worst records in the NBA. The Cavs cannot control the schedule, but they have capitalized on some easy prey.
