With high expectations surrounding them, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a challenging 2024-25 regular season in front of them. New head coach Kenny Atkinson will make his Cavs debut on the road against the Toronto Raptors and try to bring a fast-paced, offensive-focused identity to the Cavaliers. However, there's only so much Atkinson can do from the sidelines. Instead, the Cavs' core four—Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen — will do most of the heavy lifting.
The quartet gives Cleveland a unique blend of explosive scoring, electric playmaking, and rock-solid defense all over the court. But while on paper it's lethal, it's failed to yield a deep playoff run for the Cavs. That's where Atkinson comes into focus again and, hopefully, can install his core fundamentals to unlock this team's two-way potential.
Thankfully, Cleveland has an easier opening to the season. Of their first twenty opponents, the Cavs only had a losing record against three last season. That softer start will allow Cleveland to fine-tune Atkinson's system and fundamentals. They can then test it against some of the best the Eastern Conference offers early into the season.
Within that opening twenty-game stretch, the Cavs will face the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, and Philadelphia 76ers. All of these teams are either legitimate playoff threats, actual title threats, or, in the case of the Celtics, the defending NBA Champions. New York is the only team in this group against which Cleveland had a losing record last season. However, they must prove they belong among the Eastern Conference's best against everyone.
How will the Cavs do this season?
It might be tough to predict how Cleveland's season will go. They are essentially bringing back the same team as last year. Seriously, the Cavs' only significant offseason addition was Jaylon Tyson, whom they took in the 2024 NBA Draft. However, the organization believes that Cleveland is right on the edge of winning it all sooner rather than later. If the Cavs come out the gates red hot, building momentum against easier opponents while beating the tougher ones, their goal could become a reality.
As long as he stays healthy, Donovan Mitchell will lead the charge for the Cavs. However, everything else will hinge on how Atkinson fine-tunes Mobley and makes him a significant threat within the offense. Mobley's shooting and playmaking potential as a big man are nearly unlimited. If Atkinson can tap into that and build lineups and plays around, it becomes much easier for the Cavs to hit another level.
It all starts for the Cavs on the road against the Raptors. From there, it feels like they can showcase they're a championship-worthy squad. If Cleveland clicks into high gear early into the season and doesn't lose steam after the All-Star break, they can push for a top record in the Eastern Conference. Depending on who they face in the first two rounds of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, a Conference Finals appearance isn't impossible either.
Final prediction: 54-38, third seed in the Eastern Conference
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