The Cleveland Cavaliers continue their remarkable run into the NBA record books. Despite resting All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell on Sunday night, the Cavs cruised past the Charlotte Hornets 128-114 to improve their unblemished start to 15-0. The win ties them for the second-best season-opening winning streak in league history.
In Mitchell’s absence, Darius Garland paced the Cavaliers with 25 points, while reserve Ty Jerome matched his career-high with 24 points. Big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen also imposed their will, each posting 20-point double-doubles. It marked only the second time in franchise history that Cleveland has had four 20-point scorers in back-to-back games.
Chasing History
The Cavaliers now find themselves in elite company in the NBA annals. Only three other teams have begun a season 15-0:
- The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who won an NBA-record 24 straight to open the campaign en route to a 73-9 finish
- The 1993-94 Houston Rockets, led by MVP Hakeem Olajuwon
- The 1948-49 Washington Capitols in the league’s early days
Notably, all of those teams went on to reach the NBA Finals in their respective seasons. Cleveland will look to continue following in those illustrious footsteps.
Strength in Numbers
While the win streak has been impressive, equally remarkable is how the Cavaliers have gone about their business. Head coach Kenny Atkinson, who has yet to taste defeat at the helm, has prioritized keeping his stars fresh and developing the bench.
On the second night of a back-to-back, Atkinson gave Mitchell the night off to rest, despite the guard coming off a season-high 37 points on Saturday. The Cavs showed off their depth as the team barely skipped a beat without their leading scorer.
One of the many plusses during the winning streak is that it’s allowing Atkinson to further develop his bench.
– According to a league source
Cleveland’s reserves outscored Charlotte’s 55 to 33, led by Jerome’s career night. The Cavaliers shot a scorching 67% in the first half to build a comfortable lead they would never relinquish.
Measuring Stick Game Looms
The streaking Cavaliers will face their biggest test yet on Tuesday night as they host the defending champion Boston Celtics. It marks a rare meeting between a team riding a 15+ game win streak and the reigning title holders.
Such a marquee matchup has only occurred three previous times in NBA history, most recently when the 72-win Chicago Bulls battled the defending champion Houston Rockets in 1996. One other instance featured the Los Angeles Lakers, whose NBA-record 33-game win streak was halted by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks in 1972.
Facing MVP candidate Jayson Tatum and the battle-tested Celtics will serve as a major litmus test for these high-flying Cavaliers. A win would not only set a franchise record for the best start in team history, but signal Cleveland as a true championship contender. Regardless of the outcome, the young Cavs are proving they are ahead of schedule in their rise to the top of the NBA hierarchy.
