Why the Cleveland Cavaliers need to be wary of underrated opponent this week

The start of the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2025-26 campaign has been one to forget.

Through the season's first 28 games, the team has won just 15 games and has faced countless injuries and issues. They've shot the ball inefficiently, the general ability to rebound has been lackluster and the overall team chemistry seems to be absent.

But it won't get any easier for the wine and gold.

On Tuesday, Dec. 23, the Cavaliers will welcome the New Orleans Pelicans to town, a team that has been dominating recently. They've won four games straight after starting the season on a 3-22 record.

Those four games they've won have come up against the Portland Trailblazers, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers, winning by a combined difference of roughly 14 points.

Don’t look now, but the Pelicans have won four straight games after taking down the Pacers tonight.

New Orleans enters a stretch where four of their final six games to end 2025 are at home.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) December 21, 2025

They're currently being led by six players above double-digit points per game and two above 20 points. They've got really strong forward play as well, with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Sadiq Bey and Patrik Queen being the focus points offensively.

Truly, the Pelicans' record doesn't show just how good they can be.

This will present a challenge for the Cavaliers, but if you would have said that prior to the start of this season, many would have said you're crazy.

That's because in no world should the Cavaliers be just two games above .500 as Christmas approaches. They were a clear favorite to compete for an NBA championship, but that expectation has fallen flat, and now, the hope is that they can at least end up in the Play-In.

They currently sit No. 8 in the Eastern Conference and have lost four of the last five games.

On Friday, Dec. 19, the Cavaliers took on the Chicago Bulls for the second time in three days, making zero adjustments en route to another loss. However, the major storyline is focused on injuries and illnesses, which the team has suffered many of.

The newest addition to the list is MVP-calibre guard Donovan Mitchell. He's currently averaging a team-high 30.7 points a night, with no other player on the roster above 20 points. However, he was ruled out of that Bulls game due to illness, something that reportedly has been passed around through the team.

As they gear up for back-to-back games on Monday and Tuesday, they'll have to hope that Mitchell can shake off the sickness. If not, they'll be even less likely to end this losing streak.

With the Cavaliers struggling, going up against a streaking Pelicans team is going to cause issues. The two sides are on completely polar opposite ends of the confidence spectrum.

The Pelicans and Cavaliers will clash at 7:30 p.m. EST from Rocket Arena. It is the first meeting between the two sides this season, with the next occurring towards the end of the season in late March 2026.