Pregame Dribbles: Cavs Can Match Franchise Mark For Best Start

CLEVELAND — Random dribbles ahead of the Cavaliers’ home game against the Milwaukee Bucks. …

1. How do you make 7-0 even better? Well, how about 8-0? That’s what the Cavs can do against the Bucks on Monday night.

2. If the Cavs can do it, they will have matched the record of the best start in franchise history. That took place in 1976-77, the year after the Miracle of Richfield season.

3. Leading scorers on that ’76-77 team are names you know — Campy Russell, Austin Carr and Jim Chones. All three are employed by the Cavs today, with Carr and Chones still serving as broadcasters.

4. So perhaps the modern Cavs are setting themselves up for future employment with the team.

5. Anyway, matching history is cool and all, but what the Cavs really want is to keep playing with the determination, smarts and belief that they’ve shown so far under coach Kenny Atkinson.

6. If they do that, good things should come not just now, but at the end of the season when it really matters.

7. I know, what happens now doesn’t mean a whole lot. At least, that’s the theory. I only partially agree. The next best thing to winning a championship is a regular season full of fun (though it helps if you can throw in a meaningful playoff run).

8. And Donovan Mitchell hitting game-winners, as he did the other night in Milwaukee, is fun. So was the Cavaliers overcoming a 16-point deficit in that game.

9. That said, Cleveland is probably due for a clunker. And the Bucks will be extra motivated for sure. But I’m done suggesting the Cavs could lose. Lesson learned.

10. Oh, also, it appears Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is a game-time decision. He apparently is suffering from a right adductor strain. Mostly, it’s weird how the teams are playing twice in three days. But this is just the way the new NBA schedule is set up.

11. By the way, Caris LeVert is also questionable. He missed Saturday’s game with right knee soreness.

12. Finally, as you may know, my X account was hacked, though it should be back up by tipoff (7 p.m. EST). They are hard at work on it now. Until then, you can still follow @WireHoops and @FullCourtCLE, the handle for the new BIG PLAY show with Daniel Gibson, Rafa Hernandez-Brito and Yours Truly.

The Cavs have rejuvenated energy this season. #LetEmKnow

"They've got a belief system that is very clear with new head coach Kenny Atkinson."

– Sam Amico (@WireHoops) pic.twitter.com/fVVw0VZi41

— Full Court Cleveland (@FullCourtCLE) November 4, 2024