The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently making history, and we are privileged enough to witness it. The Cavs are currently in the midst of their third 10+ game win streak of the season, something only one other team has done before.

This shouldn’t come as a shock to any NBA fans who have been tuning in since tipoff. After starting 15-0, under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, the Cavs have surpassed every possible expectation ever set for them.

With 11 rings, Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson is one of the most decorated and respected individuals that the game has ever seen. He famously invented the 40-20 rule, meaning that if a team wins 40 games before losing 20, they are serious championship contenders.

The Cavs have now surpassed 50 wins before 15 losses. Their record sits at an outstanding 53-10, slotting them atop the league, and 8 games ahead of last year’s champions, and conference rivals, the Boston Celtics. 

The Celtics are no easy defeat. On the contrary, this year’s Celts are not only a championship roster, they are a morale killer. The Cavaliers have played with a certain confidence this season; they know that they are the best team in basketball. However, this tends to go out the window when Boston is the opponent.

As Atkinson said in his pregame press conference, “We still have to prove we can beat them, beat them at their place.”

In their last meeting of the ‘24-25 season, with home court in the playoffs on the line, the Cavaliers gave up 25 points in the first five minutes, all while scoring three. Game over. No one digs themselves out of a 22 point hole against the reigning champs, right? Well, no one except this Cleveland Cavaliers team.

They kept scratching and clawing and eight minutes into the final period, the Cavs finally took a lead, and never looked back. In a game that saw Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown score 46 and 37 respectively, Donovan Mitchell led his team with a 40 piece of his own, and Evan Mobley cleaned up the glass with a line of 17 points and 12 boards. The Cavaliers proved they are for real, and can beat any team in the league, including the reigning champs on their home court in the Garden. All that’s left is for them to believe it.  

None of these epic comebacks, or floor-wiping wins would be possible without every member of this team. The stats speak for themselves. Not only are they winning, they are doing it at the highest possible level. As of March 4th the Cavs have the NBA’s number one ranked offense, with a rating of 122.3. This is only made possible by their excellent shooting attack, as the team is just shy of 40% from beyond the arc (also 1st in the league). It is not just their starters draining threes however.

The addition of three and D wing, De’Andre Hunter, has greatly increased the Cavs versatility. Hunter holds a confident stroke, shooting 60% from deep since the move from Atlanta, while Cleveland itself is a perfect 11-0. Hunter is not the only hidden weapon though. His fellow 6th man of the year candidate, Ty Jerome, has been a fire starter all season long. 

When none of the starting five can get it going, Jerome is there. He can get to the basket with ease. Whether it’s through his impeccable floaters, deep heat check threes, or even his sneaky pickpocket steals, his impact on the court is undeniable. The 6th year man has found himself a home in Northeast Ohio, where he has been reunited with former Virginia teammate De’Andre Hunter.

The college roommates and best friends won a national championship together in 2019 at the University of Virginia, and now back together, they look to do it again. Hunter is not the only reunion for Jerome since joining Cleveland last year. First year coach Kenny Atkinson was an assistant coach and big believer in Jerome during his stint with the Golden State Warriors. Ty will not be denied. Just two months ago, he came off the bench in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers, and dropped 33 points on a perfect eight for eight from long range, something no Cavalier had ever done before.

Kenny Atkinson has ushered in a new era of Cleveland basketball. One largely aided by the long-awaited emergence of Evan Mobley. The 23 year old USC product was just selected to his first all star game, partnered alongside teammates Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.

Mobley is currently averaging the best splits of his career, at just about 18 points and 9 boards a game, while shooting 56% from the field, and a dazzling 36 percent from behind the arc. Paired with this offensive resurgence, the 6’11” big man has also established himself as a defensive force.

After being robbed of Rookie of the Year in 2021, Mobley looks to add to his resume with this year’s Defensive Player of the Year award, for which he is currently the frontrunner. The former 3rd overall pick is complemented by Center Jarret Allen. “Frohio” as he is known to his teammates. The fellow big man is currently averaging a double double, while also shooting a blistering 71% from the field. JA was also previously coached by Atkinson in Brooklyn.

The Cavs look to continue their barrage, while simultaneously preparing for the playoffs. As of March 5th’s victory over the Miami Heat, the Cavaliers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot over a month before they even begin. Depth is the name of the game, and what the Cavs are proving this season is that a complete team is far more valuable than a traditional superteam. They are crushing this modern stereotype, that being that a team is only as good as their best player. In an era where the “Me Me Me” mentality is far too common, and superteams dominate major markets, the boys in The Land are showing that small teams can make major moves.