Last offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers were expected to make sweeping changes across the roster and coaching staff.
Instead, the Cavs doubled down on the core, extending Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen. Cleveland's only significant change was the coaching, bringing in Kenny Atkinson as the head coach alongside a veteran staff of assistants. With an identical crew in town, the Cavaliers were not expected to look substantially different. The core of young, developing talent and an unproven supporting cast left analysts uncertain about the future of the team.
All the talent was clearly present in Cleveland, but the seemingly redundant stars and undersized wing depth had often been a crucial shortfall of this team. The Cavs clearly had similar doubts, intentionally extending Jarrett Allen early enough in the summer that he would be trade eligible before the deadline in case the team needed a shift in direction.
Onlookers had every reason to doubt the Cavaliers this season. The last two postseasons fell short from injury luck, poor bench performance and lack of experience. Unbothered, this Cavs squad proved those same detractors wrong time and time again, most notably in three key areas.
Coaching unlocked the Cavaliers
Few commentators expected a new head coach to cause such dramatic changes in Atkinson's inaugural season. A short backcourt and non-shooting frontcourt seemed like a recipe for mediocrity. While the Knicks bought all in, trading for OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Cavaliers were resigned to running back the same roster that had lost to New York in the first round one year ago and had just battled through a seven-game series against the Orlando Magic.
Cleveland's bench production was one of the worst in the playoffs in 2024, and the team as a whole scored the third-fewest points per game of all playoff teams, averaging just 98.1 points each night. In the regular season, the Cavs averaged 112.6 points per game, ranking 20th in the Association. The Cavaliers often won in spite of their offense, relying on gritty defense and a hint of luck to overcome their postseason rivals.
Under Atkinson, the Cavaliers generated the league's best offense, scoring 121.9 points per game and shot 38.3 percent from three-point range, the second-best in the league. Atkinson's Cavs also ranked eighth in bench points per game, another noticeable improvement from recent years.
Former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff instilled a hard-working culture, but his offensive drawbacks and lack of trust in his bench players limited the Cavaliers' potential. Atkinson gave the same players free range to develop, putting Mobley in a star role and trusting in every player's abilities.
Coaching elevated the Cavaliers, not seismic roster changes.
Cleveland's backcourt duo works
Two All-Star guards can be a dynamic element to a winning team, but the Cavs' undersized duo of Garland (6'0") and Mitchell (6'3") led to plenty of criticism whenever the team fell short of goals.
Many spectators assumed that the Cavaliers could only take another step toward true contention with one of the guards being shipped elsewhere. When rumors emerged that Garland's representation would work with the front office to explore trade possibilities, it seemed that the Cavs would side with the critics. After those rumors were squashed, the Cavaliers are enjoying a deserved victory lap with DG returning to All-Star form.
In 1,131 minutes together, the star duo achieved a 9.5 net rating with both players averaging over 20 points per game in career-low minutes per night. Following a season lost to unexpected injuries, Garland has played some of the best basketball of his career, shooting 40.1 percent from deep and becoming an elite clutch-time contributor.
As for Mitchell, the six-time All-Star posted 24 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5 assists per game. He exemplified team-first leadership, happily accepting lower counting stats as his minutes per game diminished in favor of Atkinson's philosophy.
Both guards showed improved defensive intensity, as well. Despite Garland's short stature, his footwork and core strength kept himself in front of his assignment, and he showed quicker speed and reaction in closeouts. Mitchell, known for his defensive prowess in collegiate hoops, has reminded viewers of his defensive potential, putting his 6'11" wingspan to use to disrupt shots, poke the ball free and intercept passes.
The Cavs took down rival contenders
Through the 82-game regular season, the Cavaliers are different than any would have expected. Holding onto the best record in the Eastern Conference the entire year, the Cavs achieved the second-most wins in team history with a 64-18 record. Cleveland swept 17 season series, including the third-seed New York Knicks, the Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. As the Cavs continually toppled NBA giants, the outlook on the team's ceiling rose.
Against teams with a record of .500 or above, the Cavaliers had a 28-11 record in the regular season, ranking higher than the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers. The Oklahoma City Thunder (31-10) were the only team to boast a better record against winning teams.
No franchise can prove to be a real contender until winning in the playoffs, but the Cavaliers' ability to win against their toughest regular season opponents is the best early indicator of Finals potential. The Cavaliers enter the postseason with every indication of winning talent and have a legitimate case to overcome any playoff series rival.
Throughout the regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have looked the best since the second LeBron James era ended. With the leading Coach of the Year candidate Kenny Atkinson at the helm, the Cavs enter the postseason better than ever.