The Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten off to an amazing 13-0 start this season, and they will look to improve to 14-0 when they host the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
The Bulls may be just 5-7, but they’re coming off a surprising 124-123 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday, and thus they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The Cavs will have to go to battle on Friday without Max Strus, Emoni Bates and Sam Merrill, and both of their starting big men — Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley — are feeling ill, per Evan Dammarell.
Jarrett Allen (leg) and Evan Mobley (illness) are considered probable for the #Cavs tomorrow against the Chicago Bulls.
Max Strus (ankle), Emoni Bates(knee) and Sam Merrill (ankle) are out.
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) November 14, 2024
Cleveland won their 13th straight game when they got past a very short-handed Philadelphia 76ers squad, 114-106, and they got 48 points combined from Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
With 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, Mitchell was just one assist shy of a triple-double.
As long as Cleveland doesn’t get complacent, they have a good shot at improving to 15-0 heading into next Tuesday’s showdown on the road against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics.
The Celtics, who are currently 10-3, eliminated the Cavs in five games in the second round of last season’s playoffs.
There seem to be plenty of people who still don’t believe the Cavs are legitimate championship contenders, given how early in the season it is and given how they have almost the same core roster they had last season, but little by little, they’re making believers out of people.
Their offense is drastically improved compared to last season — they lead everyone in points per game, field-goal percentage and 3-point accuracy, and they’re playing at a much faster pace under new head coach Kenny Atkinson than they did under his predecessor J.B. Bickerstaff.
NEXT: Iman Shumpert Predicts When Cavs' Streak Will End
