Standing atop the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the league's best stories.
With an established superstar in Donovan Mitchell leading the squad and a rising star in Evan Mobley elevating their ceiling, this Cleveland squad is in the midst of a truly special season. With new head coach Kenny Atkinson revising their offensive approach, the Cavs have finally overcome their largest hurdle over the past few seasons, holding onto the best offensive rating (120.6) in the NBA through 27 games.
Cleveland started the season on a historic 15-game win streak to start the regular season, suffering their first loss at the hands of the reigning NBA champions Boston Celtics. Since then, the Cavs have maintained dominance over the Eastern Conference, earning their revenge over the Celtics in their next meeting.
Last season, this same team was looked at as a hopeful contender but far from where they needed to be. Despite All-Star talent in the starting five, the Cavs' offense was sluggish, predictable and stale. The incessant high pick-and-roll strategy served them well in the regular season but quickly fell apart in a seven-game series in which the opponent could dissect their gameplan and exploit the weaknesses.
Solving this problem seemed like it would need a major shift in personnel. Ex-coach J.B. Bickerstaff tried seemingly every strategy to get the most out of his core four of Mitchell, Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. The Cavaliers had an unconventional core, employing two smaller guards and two non-shooting big men. Bickerstaff staggered minutes, but he could never find the formula for success.
The Cavaliers were expected to make big changes
This most recent offseason started with a bombshell article reporting that Garland's representation at Klutch Sports would seek a trade for the one-time All-Star if Mitchell signed an extension this summer. The news sent shockwaves throughout the league, as there had been no signs of discontent from either guard in the past. On the court, they would embrace one another and cheer for another's success.
If Garland was out the door, the Cavaliers would certainly seek another star in return. New Orleans Pelicans wing Brandon Ingram became a top prospect. Allen also joined the rumor mill as a trade candidate, considering his value across the league as a premier shot blocker and interior defender. The Pelicans showed interest in Allen over the years, opening the door to an Allen-for-Ingram swap.
Surprisingly, nothing happened. The Cavaliers instead extended Mitchell, Mobley and Allen. Garland, already on a long-term extension, was the only core member not signed to a new deal this past summer. The Cavs sent a clear message that they were going to run it back and trust in this squad. Atkinson's vision for the team would be their major change of the offseason. Thus far, it is hard to deny the results.
Cleveland's cohesion is their secret weapon
Player movement in the NBA seems to be at an all-time high. Though it has always been a large part of the league, superstars are rarely as devoted to any single franchise as they have been in the past, for the better and for the worse.
As for the Cavaliers, the core players and the supporting cast all stuck around this season. Cleveland's only roster addition was rookie Jaylon Tyson, selected 20th overall. Otherwise, the same faces that were present at the start of last season were all returning.
With preexisting culture and trust, Atkinson wasted no time implementing his changes. The former Brooklyn Nets head coach flexed his NBA intelligence immediately, showing a new-look, high-octane offense that centered around ball movement and team-first play. Atkinson did not entirely reinvent the wheel in Cleveland, though. He staggers minutes between the frontcourt and backcourt stars heavily, but he has expanded his rotation to 10 or 11 players each night and prioritizing limited playing time across the board.
Rather than switching the core, Atkinson's system expands everybody's role. Mitchell is still at the helm, but Mobley is recording a career-high usage rate (23.4%) and is given more opportunities to lead the offense. Alongside Mobley and Mitchell, Garland has returned to his All-Star form with confident play and lethal long-range shooting. The former fifth overall pick has shot 41.8 percent from deep on nearly seven attempts per game, both numbers a career high.
As for Allen, Atkinson has found a uniquely impactful role for the Fro. Averaging just 13.6 points per game, Allen has controlled pace for the Cavaliers, crashing the boards and swatting away rival shots. He is averaging the fewest minutes of the core four, appearing in just 29.7 minutes per game. In a somewhat smaller role, Allen is one of the league's most efficient players. He has recorded a 69.5 effective field goal percentage and is grabbing 10.3 rebounds per game, anchoring the Cavaliers.
In truth, Cleveland's Allen may be the only player in the NBA who would be so content to play essentially a bench role in the starting five. Allen is rarely a member of the closing unit, as Atkinson typically places Mobley at center with a floor spacer at the four. Allen's incredibly selfless nature is an underrated, but crucial, piece of the Cavaliers' success.
In his first season with Cleveland, Atkinson has found the hidden formula to winning. It has not been just the core four, but the cohesion across the roster. With two Sixth Man of the Year candidates on the bench (Ty Jerome and Caris LeVert) and a career year for Isaac Okoro as the starting small forward, the newest Cleveland Cavaliers era has been nothing less than spectacular thus far.