2022 has been a banner year for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They went from bottom-feeder to Eastern Conference contender, and as the year closes they are right at the top of the league in terms of team rating. This team is good, and given the age of their core should be good for a very long time.
The days when the calendar flips to January and the final digit rotates around the dial is a prime time to reflect on the best moments of the year that passed. What have been the very best moments for the Cavs from 2022? There are a number of standout performances and notable moments; here are the Top 5 from an exciting 2022.
No. 1 Cavaliers moment of 2022 – Win over Nets on MLK Day
The year 2021 ended in crisis for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton were out for the season, COVID-19 protocols were plucking players from the lineup left and right, and Cleveland was signing guys off the street to play point guard. Then they dug in as January began, going 6-2 to start the month with their only losses to West contenders.
Then the Brooklyn Nets rolled into town for something of a validation game. The Cavs were playing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, one of the NBA’s marquee days on the calendar. Darius Garland scored 22 points with 12 assists and six rebounds, leading the way for the Cavs who had six players in double-digits and won 114-107.