Perhaps the greatest story of the 2024-25 NBA season thus far is the unbeaten Cleveland Cavaliers, riding internal growth and new leadership to a remarkable 12-0 start to the year. The Cavaliers will come to Philadelphia to face the Sixers on Wednesday night as they look to continue their unbeaten streak.
Here to break down all things Cavaliers is Jackson Flickinger, manager of Fear The Sword and co-host of The Junkyard Pod.
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Adam Aaronson: It has been an unbelievably good start to the season for a Cavaliers team that has dominated nearly every opponent they face. They are doing this with a roster nearly identical to the one they had in 2023-24, but with a new head coach at the helm. What has Kenny Atkinson done to unlock this greater version of the Cavaliers?
Jackson Flickinger: Atkinson has put each player in a position to be the best version of themself. This is because of his understanding of the game and the confidence that he instills in his players.
The Cavs' offense previously got by on the skills of their guards to create off the dribble. This was difficult due to starting non-shooting bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. To get around this, Atkinson has implemented an offense that is much more motion-based, that creates spacing off of cuts instead of stand-still shooting. This, combined with picking up the pace, has led to a much better offensive process and one of the best offensive ratings in the league.
Atkinson has also instilled confidence in his players. Guys who used to play for Aktinson have mentioned that the belief he has in them has allowed them to be the best versions of themselves. We’ve seen that as nearly every player seems empowered to play their game in a way they haven’t in the past. This has all added up to a perfect 12-0 record.
AA: One of the players I have enjoyed watching most during the young season is Evan Mobley, who appears to be making an enormous leap in his fourth NBA season. What has made this season different for Mobley?
JF: The end of the Cavaliers' second-round series against the Boston Celtics last season laid the groundwork for this season. The Celtics let Mobley attack Al Horford and switches because they just wanted to limit Cleveland’s three-point shooting. This led to good scoring numbers and a level of confidence that wasn’t previously there.
That new confidence has been combined with Atkinson using Mobley more as an on-ball initiator. This is seen when he pushes in transition off of defensive rebounds or just operates above the arc. They’ve been able to use him with inverted pick-and-rolls which can create mismatches for him to punish.
Many people thought that he’d need to develop a three-point shot if he was going to take the next step. That hasn’t necessarily been the case as a new offense and an increased assertiveness have made all the difference so far.
AA: As brilliant as the Cavaliers have looked so far, no team is perfect. As the Cavaliers continue to seek improvements, what do you believe they can do -- whether it be via an addition in a trade, tightening up on certain team weaknesses, different in-game strategies, or anything else that comes to mind -- to become an even better team by the end of the season?
There are two areas that come to mind. The fit between their core four of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Mobley, and Allen has always been clunky. They’ve fit together much more seamlessly this season, but there’s still room for them to improve together when they share the floor. The Cavaliers are doing a lot of their damage with their depth which isn’t something that always translates over to playoff basketball.
The backup power forward spot is also a question. Dean Wade is a logical choice for that role, but his lack of offensive production and injury history make it difficult to count on him in the playoffs. Georges Niang has had a nice bounce back from a rough season last year, but he’s not someone you’d feel comfortable with in your playoff rotation. An additional playable body at the backup four would be useful.
More Sixers-Cavaliers information
• Date/Time: Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m. EST
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
• Spread: Cavaliers -9.0
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