Does recent NBA history tell us Cavs will sustain their big leap?

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Cleveland Cavaliers bigs Lauri Markkanen (left), Dean Wade (center) and Kevin Love celebrate in-game. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Will Cavs sustain their big leap? Outlook for the Cavs

The Cavaliers won 33 games in the 2013-14 season, and then added LeBron James and Kevin Love that summer. They would win 53 the following season and make the NBA Finals for four straight years. That is the kind of super-team-assembly from the Cavs that best matches what the Boston Celtics accomplished in 2007-08 and beyond.

It’s the San Antonio Spurs who are more instructive for us here. They sustained their success from the big jump for two major reasons: the immediate dominance of Tim Duncan, and the steady presence of another Hall of Famer in David Robinson.

If Evan Mobley is not simply good, but takes a major step forward next season, the Cavs have an excellent chance to sustain their success. Mobley was incredibly versatile last year as a defender but was raw on offense; more consistency as a secondary shot creator would raise the Cavs’ floor and keep them relevant.

The other factor is having a bona fide second star in place, and the Cavs might just have that in Darius Garland. If he can consolidate his growth and put together a full season of his best stretches from last year, the combination of Garland and Mobley will set this team up for sustained success.

One last note from our historical survey. The 1997-98 San Antonio Spurs were the second-ranked defensive team in the league, and the next year they were first. The 2007-08 Boston Celtics were the best defensive team, and were second the following year. The 2004-05 Phoenix Suns were the #1 offensive team, and the following year were second. Being absolutely elite at one end of the court gives you a calling card to build on.

Next. Crafting the perfect Cavs rotation for the 2022-23 season. dark

The Cavs last year were fifth in defense; if they can lean into that key attribute and once again finish in the top-5 on defense, it will be very difficult for them not to sustain their success. Between Mobley, Garland, Jarett Allen and a host of supporting players, the future in Cleveland is bright, and NBA history suggests it might stay that way.