Cavaliers target a perfect opening week in road trip against the Wizards

The Cleveland Cavaliers earned a dominant 136-106 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday and a 113-101 victory in their home opener. With a 2-0 record, Cleveland is eyeing to continue that strong start.

The Cavs overcame a slower start against Toronto to end the night with a 58.6% clip from the field, their highest since a January win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Cleveland's home court. Cavs forward Evan Mobley showed an incredible sense of confidence and composure on offense, using his size and overall talent to dunk, drive and shoot his way to 25 points. Guard Caris LeVert added 19 points on a near-perfect night from the floor.

Even as its potent offense finally fired up in the second quarter, Cleveland's success, as it had for the last few years under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, started with its defense.

"I thought the defense got us going. We started turning them over. (We were) really active. Our rim protection was elite, as always, with (Cavs center Jarrett Allen) and (Mobley)."

- Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson

Cleveland's rim protection limited Toronto to 38 points in the paint. The Cavs scored 68 of their own, showcasing their prowess in the paint with a barrage of dunks and interior lobs. The duo of Mobley and Allen swatted away seven shots and picked off three passes, paving the way to Cleveland's first double-digit steal game since a Game 4 loss to the Orlando Magic in last year's playoffs.

How the Cavaliers stack up against Washington

Cleveland will move on to face the Washington Wizards following a Friday game against a Central Divsion rival in the Detroit Pistons. The Cavs swept the Wizards during their four matchups in last year's regular season. Cleveland's convincing wins were highlighted by a 39-point January victory that saw the Cavs pour on 140 points at home. The team has since drafted center Alex Sarr through the 2024 NBA Draft and re-signed forward Corey Kispert to a four-year, $54 million contract extension.

Washington fell in its opening game against the Boston Celtics despite 26 points from guard Jordan Poole. Sarr, a former Overtime Elite product and the No. 2 selection in this year's draft, ended the night with two points as he struggled to find his rhythm from the perimeter. The team as a whole hit just over 19% of their 3-point attempts, with Poole making all but one of their long-range shots.

Wizards head coach Brian Keefe praised Poole's aggressive play after he confidently shot from beyond the arc and inside the paint.

"That's what we want (Poole) to play like. We want Jordan to play aggressive and attack for himself, but also for others. He's going to cause people to collapse. We want him to kick it out to shooters. I thought he really set the tone for us early. He gave us some good confidence."

- Wizards Head Coach Brian Keefe

The Cavs must work to contain Washington's more experienced options in Poole and forward Kyle Kuzma in a Wizards rotation that featured plenty of younger options. Forward Bilal Coulibaly, a top-10 selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, ended the game with six assists as he found his teammates on the break and off quick and short passes. Rookie guard Kyshawn George added three rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes off the bench.

Cleveland's dynamic big duo will again need to play important roles of their own when the Cavs face the Wizards on the road. Both Allen and Mobley's interior defense will be needed to counter a squad that scored 66 points in the paint on Thursday and took third place in the league with an average of 54.8 points in the paint during last year's regular season.

Mobley will have the opportunity to grow his own skillset and find his fit in a new-look offense during the first few games of the season. Gaining more confidence and getting Mobley more reps with the ball before a tougher stretch of games next week will be crucial in ensuring the Cavs can stay ahead of the curve and push the limits of their offense compared to seasons past.

"I think (staying on the cutting edge) is part of it. Seeing trends in the league early. We keep an eye on the league. We keep an eye on what's going. We keep an eye on Europe and what's happening in FIBA basketball. You've got to be ahead of it. If you're too late to the game, then there's no competitive advantage. "

- Cavs Head Coach Kenny Atkinson

The Cleveland Cavaliers will tip off against the Wizards at 7 p.m. EDT on Saturday at Capital One Arena. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network.