Cavaliers given a surprising road to conference dominance as NBA Cup revealed

With a cohesive core and upgraded bench unit, the Cleveland Cavaliers are entering the 2025-26 NBA season with high expectations.

Cleveland's Eastern Conference rivals are all preparing for a year without superstars like Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard standing in the way of a deep playoff run. The Cavs, a clear favorite to win the conference's top seed again, could open the season with a show of dominance in the NBA Cup.

Since 2023, the NBA has held an in-season tournament among all 30 franchises with the Emirates NBA Cup. While it does not hold the same regard as winning the NBA Finals, it still brings about an intense playoff atmosphere early in the season.

Broken up into six five-team groups, teams compete with their group rivals to advance into the eight-team knockout rounds. Eventually, the final team standing from each conference play for the trophy in a Las Vegas showdown. This year, the Cavaliers' grouping gives them a clear pathway to early conference domination.

The Cavaliers have an easy path to win the NBA Cup Group Stage

To make it beyond the group stage, the Cavs need to hold onto the best record during NBA Cup games against their four opponents: Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards. With the best record (tie breakers determined by scoring differential), Cleveland automatically earns a spot in the knockout rounds. Otherwise, Cleveland needs to have one of the two best records of non-advancing teams to make it as a wild card.

The Cavs have an obvious advantage over each group stage rival, making them a clear favorite to advance. Although the Hawks have made positive strides this offseason, adding Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Cavaliers are still a league above the Atlanta club. The Wizards and Raptors are likely in the lower half of Eastern Conference playoff contenders, and the Pacers' injured star and the loss of Myles Turner hamper their chances in the Cup games.

Last season, the Cavaliers maintained the league's most efficient offense and a top defense. With the additions of Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance, Jr., Cleveland's defensive prowess only intensifies without sacrificing scoring punch. If the Cavs can enter the season just as good as before, there is little stopping them from going undefeated in the opening round of the NBA Cup.

Cleveland has a lot to prove this season, doubling down on an expensive core and inflated cap sheet. If the Cavaliers want to show critics and onlookers that they are ready for high-stakes basketball, the NBA Cup is the first opportunity to do so. An in-season championship is not a guarantee to carry over into the real postseason, but the Cavaliers could demonstrate exactly what makes them such a dominant titan in the East.

Entering the season, winning the NBA Cup should be the first milestone the Cavaliers hope to achieve. Cleveland needs to show a capability of rising to the moment after three consecutive playoff exits. While the knockout rounds are not going to be as intense as a full seven-game playoff series, the Cavaliers will be tested. Making an early impression matters, and winning the Cup could be a warning sign to the rest of the league that this Cleveland squad is real.