Throughout this season, many have doubted the Cleveland Cavaliers even though they are still the best team in the NBA. Some critics dismiss the Cavaliers’ impressive record and statistical performance. It’s surprising how bold it is to overlook that Cleveland is on pace for 73 wins and currently boasts a better net rating than the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, which had exactly the same win total. Instead, analysts like Charles Barkley appear to be favoring the struggling Philadelphia 76ers, further fueling the uncertainty and skepticism surrounding the Cavaliers nationally.
So why do so many people doubt the Cavaliers? The big reason is their limited appearance on national television. Although the NBA is starting to show them more on ESPN and TNT this season, Cleveland The year has begun With the tenth-fewest nationally televised games. Before their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder aired on ESPN, the Cavaliers appeared on national television only once when they hosted the Orlando Magic. Their only other national appearance was during the NBA Cup game against the Boston Celtics on TNT. This lack of vision contributes to the doubt surrounding the team.
With only their third appearance on national television, the Cavaliers needed to make a strong impression against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams started the season well, but much of the attention was on the Thunder. As the game progressed and the Cavaliers took control, they embraced the team hashtag, out of frustration. Cleveland had to prove that it was a legitimate contender, especially to those who doubted it the most.
The Cavaliers showed the national scene why they are sleepless nights against the Thunder
Oklahoma City arrives at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse riding high, having just come off back-to-back wins over two top teams in the Eastern Conference – New York and Boston. They haven’t lost a meaningful game in nearly 40 days, and are on an impressive 15-game winning streak. With the best defense, point differential, and net rating in the NBA, the Thunder present a formidable challenge. It was undoubtedly one of the toughest matchups the Cavaliers have had early in the season. So how has Cleveland responded to this challenge?
Like every test they’ve faced this season, Cleveland passed with flying colors. The Cavs have flipped the script against them and shown that they are a legitimate title threat during the playoffs.
“It’s very clear that we belong here,” Donovan Mitchell said. “I don’t think we’re waiting for the national media to say, ‘Oh, they belong.’ For us, we knew it, but you have to go out there and prove it respectfully. We went 31-4, and people still can’t believe it. We won. Tonight, people still can’t believe it. We have to continue to be just us. We have a lot of talented players, and if you don’t see that now, I don’t know what else to say.
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What does Cleveland’s victory over Oklahoma City mean at the national level?
In addition to making a resounding statement against the Thunder, the Cavaliers made more NBA history. With this win, the Cavaliers became the seventh team in league history to win at least 32 of their first 36 games. Four of them won the title. They are 11-0 against the Western Conference. Cleveland leads the NBA in three-point shooting. They have four players with legitimate All-Star resumes. They are the No. 1 team on offense and No. 8 on defense, one of five teams in the top 10. The win over the Thunder was the perfect embodiment of all of that, adding to how amazing this win was.
“Everyone who came in did something positive to impact the game,” Mitchell said. “Whether it’s scoring, whether it’s rebounding, whether it’s defense, whatever it is. This is a team win. This is what it’s going to take for us to become the team we want to be. This is one game and no championship was won tonight, but this is something we should be proud of.”
“It’s not just about one person. This is a team thing. We showed that tonight on the biggest stage. Really proud of everyone. But these three in particular, they did their best and carried us like three stars do.”
All signs point to the Cavaliers being a legitimate threat this season. Cleveland usually shrugs off such praise, treating every game like just another game. However, after this win over the Thunder, the Cavaliers took off their mask despite their biggest doubters.
“We’re relentless,” Darius Garland said. “Best team in the league. This team is amazing.”