We at King James Gospel are coming with a breaking news alert. The Cleveland Cavaliers are on a roll.
It's a surprising thing to hear. With three win streaks surpassing 10 consecutive victories, the Cavaliers might just be a serious contender. They might need two or three more 10+ win streaks to prove it, though.
Looking to toward the playoffs, numerous rivals should be scared to come in contact with the league-leading Cavaliers. With 16 straight wins and a jaw-dropping 56-10 record, Cleveland is entering the postseason as a favorite to win the conference and contend for a title. The Boston Celtics will stand as their biggest challenge, both as the reigning champs and a brutal rival in the regular season.
Other squads, though, are becoming increasingly better matchups for Cleveland's basketball club. Over the regular season campaign, the Cavs have demolished their competitors, both in the Eastern Conference and out west. With just over a dozen games left, the Cavs' path to a second franchise Finals victory is becoming clear. Three teams should do everything in their power to avoid the Cavaliers while hoping Cleveland falls short before they meet.
The Denver Nuggets don't want to see the Cavaliers in the Finals
Cleveland outperformed the Denver Nuggets in both meetings this season, winning each game by double digits. Despite triple-doubles by Nikola Jokic in both matchups, the Cavs' balanced attack and staggering defense pushed the Nuggets to their limits.
Coach Kenny Atkinson showed his defensive intuition against Denver, managing to hold the rest of Denver's crew to poor performances despite Jokic's unstoppable ability. Dean Wade often covered Jokic, allowing one or both of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to cut off his best pass options and floating to help cover the Joker.
With the addition of De'Andre Hunter, the Cavaliers have another big wing with greater strength and a better wingspan to cover Nikola. Cleveland has the tools to put Denver in a basketball hellscape if they meet in the Finals.
Donovan Mitchell eviscerated Denver's backcourt defense, dropping 28 and 33 points on the night. In both games, Mitchell lit up the court from deep, sinking six threes each. The Cavaliers are a nightmare matchup for the Nuggets with star talent across the board. Combining the stars, role players and Atkinson's coaching prowess, the Cavs are everything the Nuggets cannot match.
Cleveland has surpassed the New York Knicks
Since an embarrassing five-game defeat in the first round of the 2022 Playoffs, the New York Knicks were the monsters hiding under the Cavs' bed. New York's overly physical playstyle both suffocated the Cavaliers and somehow avoided the referees whistles. Ending the Cavs' season in Cleveland, the crushing defeat started a rivalry that had already begun brewing once Donovan Mitchell joined the Cavaliers over his hometown Knicks.
Last season, the Knicks continued their domination. The Cavs could not find a weak spot big enough to beat New York. Jalen Brunson's fearless shooting, Josh Hart's do-it-all skillset and the frontcourt's interior strength kept Cleveland looking small and weak. Every game was a prove-it night for the Cavaliers, and they rarely could.
After losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, the Knicks are much less fearsome. Mitchell Robinson has battled injuries all season long, a frustratingly common trend for the talented big man. This has left New York's frontcourt shallow and defensively fractured. Karl-Anthony Towns' offensive stardom does not translate to defense, giving the Cavs an obvious point of attack.
This year, the Cavaliers have not only caught the Knicks but left them behind. New York's core lost its winning identity. Formerly built around post presence and strength, Cleveland's Big Apple rival has lost every meeting with the Cavs this season. The Knicks have become notorious for falling short against contenders, losing every game to the Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers this season.
A playoff series between the Cavs and Knicks would be an ideal option for Cleveland this year, completely reversing the dynamic.
The Cavaliers are a league above the Memphis Grizzlies
Another Western Conference foe, the Memphis Grizzlies are a contender who cannot seem to beat the Cavs. Similar to Cleveland, Memphis' core is built around young star talent and defensive powerhouses in the frontcourt.
The Cavs, though, hold the 2-0 regular season series win against Ja Morant and the Grizzlies. Whether the games end with or without a brawl ahead of the final buzzer, the Cavaliers refuse to be bested by the Grizz. In Donovan Mitchell's career, he holds an individual record of 14-4 against Memphis. Given his tendency to get into altercations with them, the Tennessee basketball club should try to avoid running in with Spida.
Mobley's leap to stardom is surpassing his Memphis counterpart Jaren Jackson, Jr., too. With a sizeable lead for Defensive Player of the Year and his first All-Star appearance, Cleveland holds the advantage in stars as well as depth and overall matchup strength. The Cavaliers have not lost to the Grizzlies in two years, winning by 12 or more points in two of the games.
All three of these teams are dangerous competitors, and that talent draws the best out of the Cleveland Cavaliers. In a seven-game series, Cleveland cannot take a game off, but the best version of the Cavs is a tier above these three rivals.