Cavs Have Already Matched Last Season’s Win Total, But Have Way Bigger Goal In Mind

February 26, 2025

For Cavaliers Nation, matching last season’s win total before the start of March is probably pretty cool. For the Cavaliers themselves, well, it doesn’t seem to matter.

In case you missed it, the Cavs improved to 48-10 with Tuesday’s road shellacking of the Orlando Magic (related Dribbles). Last year, they finished 48-34.

So it’s been one heck of a regular season. For the record, the Cavs also know that’s all it is — the regular season.

“In our locker room, amongst us, no one is talking about our record,” coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters, via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “Focused on trying to prepare for these playoffs. Championship mentality.”

This is actually something Atkinson has stressed since the first day of training camp. A great regular season is tons of fun. But it’s business time in the playoffs.

The players have repeated that message to a man.

“We’re not going to talk around it. We want to win a championship,” guard Ty Jerome said after leading the Cavs with 20 points vs. Orlando. “That’s our goal. If that’s not your goal, why come to training camp?

“I don’t think there’s any added pressure. A lot of good teams in this league. One day at a time. Continue to do what we do.”

What the Cavs have continued to do is win, a lot, and often by large margins. They’ve won eight straight overall and are 6-0 since acquiring forward De’Andre Hunter in that trade with Atlanta.

“We have a special group,” Jerome said. “This is my fourth team, and you don’t find this often in the NBA. We all have individual goals, but winning is at the forefront of our minds and we all want to see each other succeed. We are genuinely happy for each other.

“You don’t find that a lot in the NBA. Just not taking that for granted. It’s special. Don’t want it to pass you by.”

The Cavaliers will again get to test their mettle in Friday’s visit to Boston to square off with the defending champs one final time in the regular season. In case you missed it, All-Star point guard Darius Garland is hoping to return from a two-game absence for that one.