With a 116-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, the Cleveland Cavaliers improved to 8-0, giving them their best start since all the way back in 1976.
However, plenty of people outside of Northeast Ohio aren’t yet convinced the Cavs have joined the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks as legitimate championship contenders in the Eastern Conference.
While starting point guard Darius Garland is off to a very good start, one analyst said on 92.3 The Fan that he needs to see more very good play from Garland in order to truly believe in the Cavs.
"I need to see it more. I admitted it's in there. I don't think it's unreasonable to want to see it more." @JPeterlin and @NickWilsonSays discuss Darius Garland's early season leap with the #Cavs 8-0 start pic.twitter.com/fkiatXKpPZ
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) November 5, 2024
Through eight games, Garland is averaging 20.5 points and 6.5 assists a game while shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from 3-point range.
He played very well during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons and made the All-Star team during the 2021-22 campaign, but last season, his numbers, both in terms of his averages and efficiency, fell.
Right now, the big difference for the Cavs this season as opposed to the last couple is pace and overall offense.
Under previous head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, they played at a relatively slow pace, but under Kenny Atkinson this season, they rank 10th in pace and fifth in fast-break points per game.
It is a big reason they’re second in the NBA in points per game and offensive rating.
It is way too early to declare Cleveland a legitimate title contender, especially given the fact that their early schedule has been relatively weak, but this is certainly an auspicious sign when it comes to their prospects the rest of the way.
NEXT: Brian Windhorst Reveals Why The Cavs Are Different This Season
