The Cleveland Cavaliers had their best game and best win of the NBA season so far after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-122 at home.
With the league’s top two leagues going head-to-head, the NBA showcased it on national television, where it was originally intended to be a local broadcast only. With 30 lead changes and no leads exceeding double figures, basketball fans around the world enjoyed one of the most exciting and balanced games ever. There were no tours or huge comebacks.
Cleveland’s main offense was neck-and-neck with OKC’s main defense. The Cavaliers used depth, star power and versatility to counter the Thunder’s equally diverse defensive capabilities. Even less than halfway through the fourth quarter, there was no clear winner or team with a clear advantage.
If there were awards for most competitive and exciting game of the year, this would be the clear winner; However, it was only supposed to be available to local fan bases. At the beginning of the year Cleveland He only had eight nationally televised matches On ESPN or TNT, it ranks 17th in the league by schedule.
After a dramatic and memorable win in a historic game, the NBA needs to pay attention to the Cavaliers as a prime-time franchise.
The NBA needs to catch up with the Cavaliers’ popularity
Cleveland is led by Donovan Mitchell, a dynamic three-level scoring guard in the middle of the NBA season. Alongside him are three other All-Star talents, including one of the best young stars, Evan Mobley. Jarrett Allen was established as an elite veteran big man, leading the Cavaliers to a win over OKC on another All-Star night. 25-year-old Darius Garland remains one of the NBA’s hottest guards after returning from a season lost to injury issues.
After two straight playoff berths and a run to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the postseason last year, the Union responded by tagging the Cavaliers as a middle-of-the-road team in terms of national attention. The Cavaliers’ performance against OKC should be a wake-up call to the NBA. Cleveland didn’t just beat the Thunder. They were undefeated against Western teams, sweeping their two-game series against the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. They beat the Boston Celtics in their second meeting of the season.
The Cavaliers are on pace to equal or beat the Golden State Warriors’ 73-9 regular season record from the 2015-16 season.
If the Cavaliers’ playoff struggles are the reason for their lack of national presence, the NBA is simply inconsistent. Somehow, the NBA still views the Cavaliers as just average entertainment. The New Orleans Pelicans, a team plagued by constant injuries and disappointing seasons, have more of a national run than Cleveland. The Philadelphia 76ers, the team currently most famous for failing to make the playoffs, have 21 Nationals.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are here, and they’re not going anywhere. All four starters are on long-term contracts, with many of their substitutes also on multi-year contracts. They have back-to-back Eastern Conference Coach of the Month with Kenny Atkinson – the front-runner for Coach of the Year.
If the NBA wants to cover the best basketball in the world, they need to catch up to what the Cleveland Cavaliers are doing. Four players deserve an All-Star spot. Two, arguably three, who should be in the NBA. A young two-way star who is always in the running for Defensive Player of the Year. What does the NBA gain by ignoring this rising power? nothing. What do they lose by ignoring them? Instant classics.