If the Cleveland Cavaliers expect to turn their season's fortunes around, it's time to quit the excuses and take advantage of an increasingly easy schedule.
Through 25 games, Cleveland holds the seven seed in the Eastern Conference with a 14-11 record. The Cavaliers' grueling schedule has undoubtedly played a role in the inconsistent production of an already injury-riddled team. Cleveland has played through two separate stretched of five games in seven nights, a challenge no other franchise has faced yet this season.
Still, the Cavaliers' schedule is shifting to their favor. Cleveland has five full days off between their last game and their next. Additionally, the Cavs' next three opponents will be some of their easiest of the year so far with the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets (twice) and Chicago Bulls for the next four matchups.
If the Cavs hope to build momentum, taking advantage of the five-day rest and starting a win streak could be the difference between a fringe Play-In spot and returning to homecourt advantage contention for the playoffs.
The next four games are not the only easy stops the Cavaliers have. In fact, after facing some of their best opponents in the first 25 games, Cleveland is facing one of the easiest remaining scheduled for the final 57 matchups.
Cleveland's weak remaining schedule negates any excuses for losing
Injuries are brutal. Trying to recover from injuries while the team is playing five games in a week is even worse. Yet, the Cavaliers have always seemed to have some sort of excuse like these. Cleveland is not outwardly crying to the league office for the scheduling or the injuries, but as year four continues full of more bad schedules and unfortunate injuries, it's time that the narrative changes.
According to Tankathon, the Cavs have the fifth-easiest remaining strength of schedule as of December 10, 2025. In fact, only one of Cleveland's conference rivals currently ahead of the Cavaliers in the rankings have an easier schedule. Cleveland's opportunity to regain dominance in the East is now, starting with four easy games.
The Cavs' final 57 games have a collective 48.8 percent win percentage thus far. The Cavs will face the lottery-bound Wizards three times, the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings twice and the Los Angeles Clippers once throughout the final three fourths of the season.
So far, the Cavs have rarely made easy work of their best opportunities to win. The Cavs most recently lost to the Stephen Curry-less Golden State Warriors and have had to mount shockingly large comebacks against many lesser opponents.
For a team with only 11 postseason wins in the last four years, the Cavs are playing like a team with a bad case of championship hangover. Unfortunately, 64 wins last season don't carry over to this year.
The Cavaliers have to care about winning, and if Jaylon Tyson's famous postgame interview suggests, they don't do that every game. With one of the best schedules left in the NBA, Cleveland has no excuses. Darius Garland is hurt, but the point of the core four is to have other star players who can pick up the slack.
Cleveland needs to see the supermax contract value from Evan Mobley in this stretch. Donovan Mitchell needs to produce before halftime. There's only so much time before a middle-of-the-road record cannot be fixed in time to avoid a bad first-round matchup.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a rough start, but the silver lining is the hardest stretch may already be over. Now, it's up to the team to capitalize on that. If they continue to play down to their opponent, this easy schedule may become a hard watch for many fans. Thankfully, the proof of concept for Cleveland's success from last regular season is there. It just needs to be realized again.