Around the middle of December, the Cleveland Cavaliers felt like they were about to discover what's lower than rock bottom.
The inconsistent Cavs were 13-12, reeling from two consecutive frustrating losses to the Boston Celtics, the very best the Eastern Conference has to offer. To make matters worse, Cleveland learned that Evan Mobley (knee) and Darius Garland (jaw) would be sidelined for over a month after their respective injuries required surgery. Unfortunately, there's no rest for the weary, and all eyes were on the horizon, waiting to see what was next for the Cavs in a world without two of their best players.
But when Cleveland returned to the friendly confines of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, they didn't add insult to their existing injuries. Instead, they started winning and kept winning in a dominant albeit consistent fashion.
To kick things off, the Cavs strung together a 7-3 record in their first 10 games after the news regarding Mobley and Garland. Cleveland then took it up a notch, winning eight in a row and climbing the Eastern Conference ladder, waiting for their star duo of Mobley and Garland to return to the court.
While Mobley and Garland are still easing their way back to the floor, the Cavs went 15-4 without Mobley and 16-4 without Garland, finding the consistency they'd been lacking and a dominant edge on both sides of the floor. Cleveland went from being a possible participant in the NBA's Play-In Tournament to having the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, in striking distance of the same Celtics that embarrassed them and ignited this dramatic turnaround.
Surging Cavs making franchise history with Evan Mobley, Darius Garland back in tow
In their last 15 games, the Cavs are 14-1, with the lone loss coming from Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. That 14-1 stretch is tied for their best record over a 15-game span in franchise history, according to ESPN. It’s also Cleveland's best record over a 15-game span without LeBron James on the roster in franchise history.
This Cavs team is on track to win 55 games, which would be the third-most in franchise history and, more impressively, they can make NBA history as one of the all-time great teams if they never cool down. Thankfully, for fans, players, coaches and everyone in between, it doesn't seem like the Cavs are slowing down any time soon. Cleveland is on fire because they have led the NBA with a gaudy +16.5 net rating over this 15-game stretch.
But what makes the Cavs' dominance so atypical is that it doesn't follow a similar approach to how things once were when LeBron was on the roster. Instead of one player and a bunch of scrubs, it's the collective group seizing the means of victory.
Sure, Donovan Mitchell thrives in a role similar to James, being the one doing it all on offense most nights. But support from Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Caris LeVert and others has been as meaningful as Mitchell's on-court heroics. In nearly every win the Cavs have picked up lately, a random player, whether it's Mitchell or someone on a two-way contract, was the biggest star. It's been a collective effort, and now, with Mobley and Garland back, Cleveland will be even scarier going forward.
There's a realistic scenario where the Cavs don't lose for the rest of February, with their next major test not coming until they face the Celtics at home in early March. Considering how things last went when Boston and Cleveland met, this time around it could serve as a true litmus test of where the Cavs stand in comparison to the Celtics. With how hot both teams are, it could be one of the best games the NBA and its fans have seen this season.
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