The Cleveland Cavaliers look like an unstoppable force right now.
They’ve won a league-best 16 games in a row, and that includes 11 in a row on the road.
They’ve also had the best record in the NBA for most of the season.
However, some people are still skeptical about them.
Notably, that includes Shaquille O’Neal.
“I’m really scared for Cleveland, because if you shut Donovan [Mitchell] down, who’s gonna be the other guy?” O’Neal said on his podcast, via NBACentral.
Shaq says he’s scared for the Cavs in the playoffs
“If you shut Donovan down, who’s gonna be the other guy?”
(🎥 @bigpodwithshaq / https://t.co/Q4ELGFbbAR) pic.twitter.com/J8sEGBtmlp
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 13, 2025
The four-time NBA champion claimed he was more confident in teams that went up and down during the season because they found ways to adapt and overcome adversity.
The Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder, on the other hand, might not be tested enough if something goes wrong in the playoffs.
O’Neal’s concerns are valid, but then again, teams have stormed their way through an entire season in the past.
The Chicago Bulls did it six times with Michael Jordan, and the Golden State Warriors did it multiple times in their recent dynasty.
As far as stepping up for Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley have taken big leaps this season, and head coach Kenny Atkinson’s offense has everybody getting touches.
Granted, things are always different in the playoffs, and the Cavs still need to prove themselves when it matters the most.
So far, however, there’s no reason to believe they can’t be just as good in a seven-game series.
NEXT: Cavs Continue To Make NBA History With Recent Winning Streak
