Two Reasons Cavs Are Playing With A Little Extra Fuel On Opening Night

Opening night has finally arrived for the Cleveland Cavaliers. A long offseason of waiting has led to the day where they are slated to battle with the Philadelphia 76ers. In what expects to be a charged crowd, they’ll be debuting their new starting five with Peyton Watson, while Meleek Thomas may suit up for his NBA debut.

There are quite a few reasons though that this will be more than just an ordinary opener for the Cavs. Let’s talk about two of them.

Cavs Looking To Prove Naysayers Wrong

There has been a lot of negative noise about the Cavs around the league. Kevin O’Connor was the first pundit to openly mention being low on them. Podcast discussions have happened from shows with heavy followings stating that the squad would not even make the postseason. And then on the opening broadcast of the year, Peacock’s Brian Scalabrine said the team would not be a top-six squad in the East.

Brian Scalabrine on Pistons-Celtics broadcast:

"I don't even even have Cleveland in my top six." pic.twitter.com/hCjZe83FsX
— Across The Cavs (@AcrossCavs) October 20, 2026

For a squad that won 50+ games for a second year in a row and is fresh off a trip to the ECF, there has been a lot of non-believers voicing their thoughts on the Cavs. They kept four of their five starters from a season ago while also bringing Peyton Watson in. Sure, they lost a bit of their depth in the form of Dean Wade, Max Strus, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schröder, and Larry Nance Jr. But what about the new pieces?

Mario Hezonja projects to play a key role off the bench. Rookie Meleek Thomas could be a big player for the squad. The end of the bench admittedly needs a little bit of work. But to see them not in a guaranteed playoff spot? It comes as a surprise. Donovan Mitchell is back, James Harden got his thumb fixed. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley each had some major postseason performances.

One thing working in this team’s favor is these doubters. They’ll be looking for some extra fuel there.

Two New Sixers Took Subtle Shots At Cavs

It was expected that LeBron James would take his talents back to Cleveland in the offseason. It was publicly announced that he would be leaving the Lakers, and “every team” was in play. Realistically, it was between the Heat, Sixers, Cavs, and Warriors, with the Timberwolves as a dark horse.

Miami is a place he played previously, winning two titles. He is close friends with Draymond Green, and he and Stephen Curry have long expressed wanting to play together. Of course, the Wolves roster makeup would have been perfect with a James addition as a forward. As for Cleveland, well, he spent 11 seasons there over two tenures. Five NBA Finals berths with the 2016 championship win.

But, he chose the Sixers. The team won their first game over the Knicks, and James did seem to fit in well with their system. But, was it a bit of a shot at those Cavs? Not believing he could win a title there? They may be better off with a younger, more-athletic Peyton Watson joining anyway. But, still.

Then there’s Dean Wade. It made sense that he wasn’t a priority for Cleveland. They could not spend right away as they waited to get everything in order. He inked a four-year, $39 million deal with Philly right at the start of free agency. He followed new POBO and former Cavaliers GM MIke Gansey to the next stop.

Wade said he joined the Sixers “for the chance to compete for a championship.” There are two schools of thought there. The first is that he kind of had to say that, and didn’t want to sour his image. The other side though, is he does not believe the team he is coming from was good enough. Again, the money was certainly better spent elsewhere for the Cavs, but the sentiment remains.

Wade did not play in his first game with Philly, sitting with an ankle injury, and it’s not clear if he’ll be ready for this opener. But, there is one thing that is certain.

This is extra fuel to the fire for Cleveland. Some guys thought they were better off elsewhere? The Cavs can take that as a slight and use it for momentum as well.

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