Merry Christmas from King James Gospel to you! Christmas is a special day in the NBA season, with five marquee games for fans and their families to enjoy. The Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t one of the ten teams this season, but given their dominant play are almost certainly in line to return to the Christmas Day stage next season.
For now, we can focus just on the Cavs and what they have given their fans this year. It has been a remarkable season, one where fans can shake off the malaise of being a Cleveland Browns fan and otherwise enjoy what watching a successful team looks like. Let’s look at the three gifts that the Cavs have brought us this year.
A Cavaliers Christmas Gift No. 1 – An MVP Candidate
LeBron James was a perennial MVP candidate for the vast majority of his career. That includes winning two of his four MVP award in Cleveland, bringing home the trophy in 2008-09 and in 2009-10. When he returned to the Cavs in 2014 and ultimately brought home a title, he finished in the top-4 in MVP voting all four seasons.
Donovan Mitchell is not at LeBron’s level, but he is absolutely the best player this team has had since LeBron James left and is firmly in the MVP discussion this season. There are a number of amazing candidates, and the sheer depth of the field means Mitchell is unlikely to ultimately win the award, but he will receive votes and appear on the ballot. That’s an impressive feat on its own, and Mitchell has been a blast to watch, exceeding expectations by joining this team and elevating them to new heights.
A Cavaliers Christmas Gift No. 2 – An Elite Defense
The Cleveland Cavaliers have the best defense in the NBA, full-stop. That’s a reality born out objectively; they have the bet defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) by more than a point over the 2nd-place Philadelphia 76ers. Philly is closer to Memphis in fifth than the Cavs in first.
It’s also born out subjectively. Watching Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley together contain whatever opposing teams have to throw at them is remarkable. Their backline defense allows the perimeter players to defend with confidence, and they are very capable of cleaning up the “messes” the guards cause with penetration.
Allen is massive inside, able to take on players like Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo inside while staying light on his feet to defend in space. Evan Mobley doesn’t have the same heft inside but his movement and length bothers everyone, from bruisers like Joel Embiid to wings and forwards on the perimeter. His help instincts are immaculate and his body moves like few others.
The defense has trickled down through the rest of the roster too. Lamar Stevens and Isaac Okoro are excellent defenders, but players like Cedi Osman and Mitchell are playing some of the best defense of their careers. This is a team effort and it has resulted in the top defense in the league.
A Cavaliers Christmas Gift No. 3 – A Title Contender
The Cleveland Cavaliers missed the playoffs last season, are just two years removed from a 22-win season, and their starting lineup has only one player with any real playoff experience. That player is Donovan Mitchell, who joined the team with plenty of baggage and needing to integrate into a backcourt that already had an on-ball star.
The Cavaliers also played in a loaded Eastern Conference: the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors were all reasonable picks to finish above the Cavs, pushing Cleveland into the Play-In Tournament despite their upgrade.
Instead, the Cavs have come roaring out of the gate to prove their mettle as a team. They have the league’s best net rating, are tied in the wins column with Milwaukee for the top of the East, and as mentioned have the best defense in the association. Mitchell is balling, Garland is dishing, Allen is sitting and Mobley is going everything else.
Are the Cavs the favorites? No, and they can’t be, not without proving itself in the playoffs. Can the poor backcourt defense hold up in the playoffs? Can the Cavs really play three non-shooters against the best competition? How does J.B. Bickerstaff do with adjustments during a series? These questions can’t be answered yet, and postseason experience is a huge swing factor in playoff success.
That being said, the Cavaliers are absolutely contenders, with an elite defense and a dynamic star. That is one swell gift for the Cavs to give to their fans this year.
Have a Merry Christmas, watch some basketball, and go Cavs!