The Cavs Are Good. Don't Overthink It
This season, the Cavaliers are a lot like Maximus in Gladiator. They have entered every NBA arena with quiet confidence and desperate ferocity, stomping out every competitor in their path that you would think is a quest for vengeance and not for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Yet, every step of the way, people question, "Are they legit?" "Is this sustainable?" "Are they the 2015 Atlanta Hawks?" even as they are on pace for one of the best records in NBA history. The Cavs stand before you, looking not into the eyes of the Cavs faithful clamoring for more but asking a rhetorical question to the NBA world that is still picking nits at their 29-4 record, "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?"
They have all of the makings of a championship-caliber team. They are not only in the top ten in both offensive and defensive ratings, but at their current pace offensively, they will be one of the best offenses in NBA history. With the Core Four growing more dynamic by the day under the tutelage of Kenny Atkinson, along with the seventh best-scoring bench in the NBA, it's no wonder why Cavalanches has been a nightly occurrence. Of their 29 victories, 21 have been by 10 or more points, often with a combination of suffocating defense and the league's best 3-point team raining down threes with the accuracy of a Roman Empire archery unit. Every three-pointer feels more devastating than the last. The ball is constantly moving, everyone is cutting with purpose, and the Cavs have multiple ball-handlers that can initiate offense. It's the type of basketball that can win against anyone in the modern NBA. What more do you want as an NBA consumer? The Cavs have a dynamic backcourt in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland and arguably the best defensive frontcourt in basketball in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, who are all putting together all-star campaigns. What we've seen come to fruition these past 30+ games is not something to take for granted.
Sure, the question with this team is less about the talent than how it will translate to the playoffs. Unfortunately, we can't move the hands of time to fast forward to the playoffs to finally give this team the "tests" that the NBA landscape seems to be craving to confirm their bias, especially with the looming presence of the reigning champion Boston Celtics still hoovering over the eastern conference. But make no mistake; we are way past small sample sizes; this Cavs team is for real. If you don't want to stake that claim right now, I'll do it for you because what they are doing is not by accident and should be taken seriously.