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We’re all used to the Cavs being one of the worst teams in the NBA in all their years without LeBron and things seemed rather bleak for them when James left for the second time to sign with the LA Lakers.
However, it seems that the Cavaliers are slowly building a respectable team and their future now seems pretty bright with a few interesting young prospects on the roster. So, let’s take a closer look at Cleveland Cavaliers and their season so far.
Cavs on the Path to the Playoffs
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It’s still way to early for us to throw such bold predictions and claiming that the Cavaliers can make the playoffs in the East this season. That being said, the team is playing very well and they currently have a record of 17 wins and 12 losses, which is enough for a fourth seed in the Eastern Conference right now.
Of course, we are only one third into the 2021-2022 NBA season and Cleveland will have a difficult task to keep their level of play up to reach the playoffs in the tough competition in the East. Still, the things that we’ve seen from the team so far are very positive and fans from Ohio can certainly be hopeful of the road ahead.
What Made the Cavs Good Suddenly?
While it’s tempting to claim that the Cavs suddenly become a good team, their current results are a product of a few years of smart decisions, especially when it comes to drafting players. In the last few years, Cavaliers picked some very promising talents, such as Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, and the latest addition to the team Evan Mobley, a potential Rookie of the Year.
In addition to this, the front office worked hard to create a positive atmosphere in the team and build a good culture around the team. For example, the Cavs traded Kevin Porter Junior last season to Houston for a second round pick despite his enormous and evident potential. This decision wasn’t easy, but the Cavs made it because of his incidents in the looker room and outside of the team.
Another great example of this is their handling of the situation with Kevin Love. The experienced veteran wasn’t happy with his role and even his mere presence in the team, wanting to get out. The Cavs tried to accommodate him, but their trade options were limited and not good for the team.
Thanks to the careful approach from the Cavs, the situation with Love turned around and the only remaining piece of their championship team bought into the team culture, accepting his new role as the team’s mentor and role model. And while Love is only getting around 20 minutes per game, it’s clear that his impact on the team’s early success is huge.
Evan Mobley – Rookie of the Year?
Whether the Cavs make the playoffs this season is not that important since the team needs to be focused on developing their young prospects as we already mentioned. Collin Sexton getting injured and being out for the season is unfortunate, but that provided space for other youngsters to shine and prove their worth, especially Garland.
But the most important task for the Cavs is to properly manage one of their biggest gems and early frontrunner for the Rookie of the Season award – Evan Mobley. The young forward is proving his worth on both sides of the court, averaging 13.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
So, the Cavs may or may not end in the playoffs this season, but at least the team has a clear road ahead to achieving greatness again.
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