Cavaliers Find Appreciation In Season's Latest Milestone

Donovan Mitchell is always the first person to add a disclaimer every time the Cleveland Cavaliers reach another notable franchise achievement.

The latest one came in the form of a 127-122 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday – the team's 60th victory of the season. It's a mark the franchise has only seen eclipsed three times now in its 55-year history.

There was Mitchell, though, ready to remind everyone of the team's bigger goals.

"I'm always gonna be that guy," he laughed after Sunday's game. "Don't mean nothing."

Still, he tried not to totally rain on the parade.

"I always say celebrate the small victories and we will," he said. "It's been a great year. Especially all of our sacrifice, you've seen a lot of that payoff. I think that's something to definitely celebrate.

"It's really big for this organization, this city. I think that's really what is special. They're behind us every night. Being able to give them something to be proud of on a consistent basis is definitely special to us."

It was a short-lived reflection.

"But...," he paused. "Bigger goals," said Jarrett Allen.

Allen shared a podium with Mitchell on Sunday. He left the majority of the "unfinished business" talk to his star teammate, who at one point he even called "the president."

Allen understood the magnitude of the franchise reaching the 60-win plateau for the first time without a certain larger-than-life superstar as the face of the team.

"This is definitely something to celebrate," he said. "It's the first time without LeBron [James] that the Cavs have got to 60 wins. I mean that's something special for the city of Cleveland and something special for us."

Making it even more special, perhaps, is the fact that nobody really expected it. From fans, 5o those who cover the sport, to even those inside the building.

When the team hired Kenny Atkinson to be head coach last summer it was praised by most around the game as a notable upgrade. The Cavaliers were expected to be better for it. Hardly anyone can tell you they saw a 60-win season looming.

Even in his wildest dreams, Atkinson didn't envision this.

"I didn't expect 60 wins," the Cavs head man admitted. "My internal goal was kinda can we improve from last year. If it was one win, great. If it was two wins, great. That was kinda where my mind was. But for this team to take it to another level, kinda shatter that, says a lot."

Atkinson has been more willing to celebrate these symbolic milestones than Mitchell, but still took a page out of his star player's book.

"And we're not done, right? We still can add to that but we need to celebrate this," he added. "It's not the end goal, but we should take a deep breath and celebrate 60 wins, it's so, so hard to do in this league. Really happy for the guys."

It's okay that LeBron James' name remains tied to so many of this franchise's historic moments and records, like this 60-win accomplishment. This current iteration of the team doesn't hide from that.

They just want an opportunity to blaze their own story independent of him. Becoming the organization's first 60-win team to hoist a Larry O'Brien trophy would do more than enough to let this group stand alone.

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