The Cleveland Cavaliers left home to travel to the Bay area.
It wasn’t an easy trip to make, moving through timezones and playing against a team that was desperate for a win and that has been much better at home than on the road.
Notably, none of that mattered.
Even though this Cavaliers core isn’t the same as the rivalry days, they still honored their previous players by taking down the Warriors with style.
Following the big win, multiple fans took to X to react to it.
Bay dubs.
HIGHLIGHTS & STATS ๐: https://t.co/BsZHAVNpg5@betwayusa | #LetEmKnow
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 31, 2024
Thatโs 2 years in a row now
— Engr Mahro (@oswinmahro) December 31, 2024
Nice
— 14martin76 (@19m763) December 31, 2024
Sloppy game yet Cavs still found a way to win easy. 2 down. 2 to go on this trip.
— omieg89 (@omieg8962507) December 31, 2024
The Cavaliers have been the best team in the league by a significant margin.
Not many people expected this scorching-hot start to the season, given that they didn’t make any big moves in the offseason.
There were some major doubts about whether this core of players could coexist, as the backcourt with Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell seemed redundant, and the same applied to the frontcourt with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
That hasn’t been the case at all this season.
Atkinson and his coaching staff have helped Mobley expand his range, and he’s even become a legitimate floor-spacer.
As for Garland and Mitchell, they’re alternating touches in the backcourt, and both of them have done a better job of keeping the other involved.
The Cavaliers have taken a page from the Warriors’ dynasty book.
They’re spreading the wealth on offense, pushing the break, and taking and making threes.
They’re also playing elite defense, and this team looks like a legitimate championship contender.
NEXT: Darius Garland Sends Clear Message After Win Over Warriors
