Cavaliers Latest Stretch Proves This Cleveland Team Is Different

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to prove they're true NBA Finals contenders.

Tommy Wild | Feb 26, 2025

Jan 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates with center Jarrett Allen (31) after the Cavaliers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Cavaliers

Two years ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers' weaknesses and flaws were severely exposed by the New York Knicks in the first round of playoffs. The Cavaliers were outmatched and out-game-planned in the seven-game series.

Cleveland's early exit fueled speculation about Donovan Mitchell's future and their core's true ceiling.

The Wine and Gold grew as a team last season, but they still ran into an issue with the Orlando Magic in the first round of the postseason.

The inexperienced Magic roster took the Cavaliers seven games, and it took a monumental second half to come back in the winner to take all the matchup.

However, the 2024-25 Cavaliers have looked like a different team since the season started in October. Cleveland's recent stretch against current and past playoff teams proves that this Cavaliers team is different from those of the past few years.

Feb 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) shoots as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defends during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cavaliers played the Knicks last Friday night and proved to be the better team in nearly every aspect of the game.

Cleveland shot 60 percent from the floor, 51 percent from behind the arc, out-rebounded them, scored more points in the paint, and had a defensive rating of 100.1 when the final buzzer sounded.

The Cavs have now one both games against the Knicks this season, each in convincing fasion.

Then, on Wednesday, Cleveland played the Magic in Orlando and absolutely dismantled them on offense and defense.

Orlando only scored 82 points, while Cleveland's biggest lead climbed to 42 at one point. Oh yeah, and the Cavs did this without their All-Star point guard Darius Garland.

This game was a far cry from how their series looked less than a calendar year ago.

Of course, the Cavaliers' roster isn't the same as the ones of the past few seasons, and the Knicks and Magic teams they faced have also seen turnover.

However, the teams' cores have largely stayed the same. This even further proves that this Cleveland roster is a different version of who it was over the last few seasons.

This is a different Cleveland team; every other team, coach, analyst, and of the NBA should see them as such. They should view this Cavaliers team as the genuine Finals contenders they are.

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