Cavaliers dejected in locker room after disappointing loss to Warriors

The Cleveland Cavaliers are off to a rocky start in the 2025-26 NBA season.

Currently, they sport a 14-11 overall record, just one year removed from a 15–0 record to start the 2024-25 season. They also finished the year with just 18 losses, seven away from that mark just 25 games into the new campaign. With such a massive fall from grace, the Cavaliers' locker room has been shaken up a few different times, most notably when the players struggled to swallow a 99-94 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The Warriors were without multi-time NBA champions, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and veteran Jimmy Butler, as they sported a lineup of Jonathan Kuminga, Quinten Post, Buddy Hield, Pat Spencer and Will Richard.

While the Cavaliers had their fair share of injuries too, allowing themselves to get bullied that badly by the Warriors frustrated many on the roster.

“It was quiet,” Fedor said of the atmosphere in the locker room postgame. “It was somber. Players looked dejected..."

The Cavaliers finished the contest shooting a measly 35% from the field on a total of 107 shots and 24% from deep range on a high mark of 42 attempts. The team's efficiency just was not where it needed to be, with only Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jayon Tyson finishing in double figures.

Neither finished over 50% from the field while De'Andre Hunter capped off his night with a measly six points on 2-of-9 from the field.

Everybody struggled as the team seemed to settle for shots from deep range, which, from start to finish, were not connecting. Such shooting numbers were the worst for the Cavaliers this season.

However, this isn't something new for the team. With 11 losses on the season, the team's main reasons for such results have come from inconsistent shooting. The Cavaliers currently rank No. 20 in field goal percentage this season at a mark of 45.9%, while being placed No. 22 in three-point percentage at 34.3%.

They are just 2.5% from being last in shot percentage from the field and 1.4% from last in deep-range shot percentage.

History has shown that the Cavaliers can string together wins out of practically thin air; all it takes is just a bit of self-reflection and a change of effort on the court to make it happen. Cleveland has the talent, the only question now is can they put it together before it's too far gone and the season becomes lost.

In an effort to respond, the Cavaliers will have a good break from action to catch their breath. They won't return back to the court until Friday, Dec. 12, with tip-off slated for 7:00 p.m.

With the Wizards struggling, it will be a perfect opportunity to return to winning ways.