Cavs show signs of championship contender despite Celtics loss

11/20/2024 12:00 PM

Well, all good things have to come to an end. The once undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers had their first 2024-25 season loss, losing to the Boston Celtics 120-117. This loss ends Cleveland’s 15-game winning streak but still ends with the Cavs tying for the second-best start in the history of the NBA. While it might be frustrating for Cleveland to see something come to an end at the hands of Boston twice in the same calendar year, the Cavs weren’t hanging their heads in defeat. Instead, the feeling was that their belief in themselves was legitimate. They felt they could hang with the defending NBA Champions and win the next time both sides met.

"I think it was a good test, and from what I saw out there, we could beat anybody," said Cavs forward Evan Mobley.

Before the game, Mobley boldly claimed that Cleveland’s red-hot start against Boston wasn’t a fluke, regardless of the result. At first, the Cavs looked overmatched and out of rhythm, while the Celtics were clinical in their approach. It echoes last year’s playoff matchup, but thankfully, the game wasn’t over for Cleveland. Instead, in the second half, Cleveland was ready to show their growth as a team.

How the Cavs made some noise despite their loss to the Celtics

Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson has harnassed that belief to fuel this early-season Cavs run. Heading into the second half, Atkinson adjusted to keep the Celtics from finding routine perimeter looks. Atkinson also found a way to get Mobley and Donovan Mitchell rolling, allowing Cleveland to match Boston shot for shot.

"I'm happy we fought back," Mobley said. "We fight all the way to the end. A few times, we could've overturned the possession game. Possessions fell in their way today. Next game, it could fall the other way. It didn't come up with the win, but there are some little wins in there.”

Instead of running away from what felt like a playoff game in November, Cleveland re-found their footing and kept fighting. A team whose red-hot start was supposed to be a fluke wouldn’t do that. Instead, the Cavs looked like a legitimate contender—one that could push the Celtics in a best-of-seven series.

"I had no doubt we were going to come back," said Mitchell. "Credit to Boston. They did what they do, made a lot of tough shots, made a lot of 3s. But for us, just continuing to fight and continue to be that team. We persevered. Unfortunately, we didn't get the win.

"We are the group I thought we were," he responded. "Just continuing to fight no matter what. Up. Down. This was a test, a big test. Win, lose or draw, it's just a test. Obviously, you want to learn through wins. But there's a lot we can take away."

Will Cleveland get revenge on Boston when they next meet?

So, what can the Cavs change when facing the Celtics? Atkinson said Cleveland’s game plan wasn’t prepared for Boston’s first-half defensive strategy. Mitchell said the Cavs became too stagnant on offense. These are easy fixes for Cleveland to make, especially after having this game’s film available to study for when these two teams meet next time.

"I think you can learn a lot from these matchups," Mitchell said. "It's definitely a measuring stick. You want to see where you're at but not hold too much weight on it because, at the end of the day, we're going to continue to build. Not going to be the same team now that we are in April."

While the Cavs would have loved to remain undefeated, this loss to the Celtics isn’t a setback. Instead, it’s an opportunity for growth. How Cleveland and Boston look in November won’t even compare to how they’ll look when the NBA Playoffs begin.

"They're so good, and we gave resistance in the second half, but for us, we have a lot to store in the bank," Atkinson said. "Obviously, we're gonna see these guys in two weeks. A lot of stuff we can improve on. I could have been better prepared on both ends of the ball. Credit to them. We'll have another shot at them soon."

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