This was what was known as a statement win and what a statement it was. It said that when the Cavs are at their best offensively, well, it may not be a good idea on the same floor as them.
The Denver Nuggets found that out Friday night, and on their very own floor, no less. Because it was Cleveland that scorched its way to a 149-135 victory to improve to a league-best 27-4.
That is also the best start in franchise history. Nobody before has started this well — not LeBron James, not Brad Daugherty, not Mark Price or the old Miracle of Richfield team.
This win was supposed to be the tough part of their schedule, and they just passed the test with flying colors.
Before the game, coach Kenny Atkinson was fired up, excited to see how his team would stack up against contending hopefuls on the road — Denver, Golden State, the LA Lakers, and Dallas. Well, that’s one down.
For the first 15 minutes, this was the kind of competitive matchup the Cavs have been waiting for. Denver came out strong, and the game featured 13 lead changes and five ties.
But then came the Cavalanche. Cleveland hit Denver with a 16-0 run, opening up a double-digit lead. The surge eventually ballooned to 21-2. Denver, led by the unstoppable Nikola Jokic, mounted a late push, trimming the lead to 11 in the fourth — but the Cavs never flinched.
Evan Mobley hit a clutch 3-pointer, his fourth of the night, to squelch any thoughts of a Nuggets comeback. With the lead safe, Cleveland pulled its starters at the 1:36 mark.
This game also was yet another example of how the Cavs are simply operating on a different level.
Donovan Mitchell was lights out, dropping 33 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 6-of-12 from deep, plus six assists and five rebounds. He scored 25 of those 33 in the first half, tying his season-high for points in a half. Mobley added 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, with four 3-pointers. Darius Garland chipped in 25, and Jarrett Allen quietly put up 22 points and 10 rebounds.
As a team, the Cavs shot 54-of-95 from the field and 23-of-48 from three. That’s four straight games with 20+ three-pointers, the first time in franchise history and only the second team to do it — the other being the defending champion Boston Celtics.
Denver, playing without Aaron Gordon, got 27 from Jokic and Jamal Murray, and 18 from Michael Porter Jr., but it wasn’t enough. This win wasn’t about the Nuggets missing a piece or being off their game; it was about the Cavs showing just how good they really are.
If this road trip is meant to challenge Cleveland, the Cavs passed their first test. And they passed it easily.
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