The Cleveland Cavaliers 2024-25 calendar is public record, and optimism is sky-high in preparation for the new season. Previously, the squad finished with a 48-34 mark, earning the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. Barring continuous setbacks by injuries, reaching that total would be a gross underachievement for the upcoming campaign.
In year three of the Donovan Mitchell build, the squad must reach the conference finals to validate its progress. The best way to get there is to have a strong regular season so weaker opponents are faced in the Playoffs.
Every game will be important, but here are five of the Cavaliers' most exciting matches in 2024-25.
Game No. 1 - November 19 @ Boston Celtics
Record against in 2023-24: 1-2 in the regular season, 1-4 in the Playoffs
The Cavaliers’ first trip to TD Garden is an important tour date because the champion Boston Celtics are the standard of the NBA. Additionally, this is the second In-Season Tournament bout of the year, so the stakes are higher.
This is the first chance for the Cavs to size up the squad that eliminated them in five games during the East semifinals. Notably, Jarrett Allen missed the series with a rib injury, and Evan Mobley turned into a matchup problem for the Celtics. Cavs supporters badly want to see him follow up against a smaller front line that could be without Kristaps Porziņģis as he recovers from a torn medial retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon.
If Porziņģis is absent, the Celtics are without shot-blocking plus deep shooting on offense. The hosts being without the former opens the vertical avenues for Allen and Mobley for lobs.