The Cleveland Cavaliers caught the basketball world’s attention when they made a splash during the NBA’s offseason.
Cleveland’s prodigal son, LeBron James found his way back home; the team also acquired Kevin Love via trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, re-signed point guard Kyrie Irving to a 5 year, $90 million contract extension and hired head coach David Blatt.
The championship-built team’s season started rocky with losses to the New York Knicks, a blow out by the Portland Trailblazers and a loss at the buzzer to the Utah Jazz’s Gordon Hayward.
With a 1-4 record to start the season, many began to question the Cavs’ ability to play together with their star power and whether they’re legitimate championship contenders.
Then all of a sudden—they started winning!
Before losing to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, Cleveland rode a four game winning streak with victories over the New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks and a come from behind win over the Boston Celtics on Friday night, the 5-4 Cavaliers are figuring it out.
In a potential NBA Finals Preview, the Cavaliers will take on the league’s reigning NBA Finals Champion San Antonio Spurs tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving believes that the Cavs need to play each game with a sense of urgency while growing accustomed with one another. Tonight’s matchup will be a big test. “I always say it and it’s a word that we’re going to continue to use—it’s a process,” Irving told The Source.
Kevin Love agrees: “A lot of it is understanding each other and that’s only going to get better as time goes on,” Love told The Source.. “So I think when you see [us] get twenty to thirty games in—that’s when you’ll see a better Cavaliers team and basketball.”
Good shooting worked in Cleveland’s favor during their winning streak. Cleveland averaged 119 points per game on 50% shooting.
A good shot selection and making smart plays is an anecdote for successful basketball. Kyrie Irving eliminated turnovers while playing aggressive—he and LeBron James put up 25 of the Cavs’ 38 fourth-quarter points in the team’s come from behind victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday. “It’s just about being smart with the basketball and doing what’s best for our team,” said Irving.
“That’s what it really boils down to—just making smart plays, but being aggressive.”
