This Cleveland Cavaliers team has been missing something for the past couple of years.
Whether it was heart, timely adjustments, or chemistry, they always seemed good, but not great.
Even so, the front office decided to double down on their commitment to this group.
They relieved J.B. Bickerstaff of his duties and replaced him with Kenny Atkinson, hoping they wouldn’t have to break the roster up, as some analysts indicated.
Fast-forward to today and the Cavaliers have a perfect 9-0 record.
When asked about that, Jarrett Allen talked about how privileged he was for playing with this group of guys (via Serena Winters):
“A lot of teams don’t get this privilege to be with the guys that you were with last year…shows how we are willing to fight for each other, how we are willing to go any length to get the win together,” Allen said.
Jarrett Allen after Cavs get off to best start (9-0) in franchise history.
“A lot of teams don’t get this privilege to be with the guys that you were with last year…shows how we are willing to fight for each other, how we are willing to go any length to get the win together.” pic.twitter.com/Vnmrzj3TIM
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) November 7, 2024
As much as this might sound like a PR-trained answer to some, this is no small thing.
There were reports that some Cavs players were fed up with Allen last season because he couldn’t play through his injury in the playoffs.
Others claimed that Darius Garland would force his way out of the team if Donovan Mitchell signed a contract extension.
Now, this team looks happy to play with one another.
They’re crashing the glass, putting their bodies on the line, and taking chances on defense.
Allen, for starters, has been one of the most dominant rebounders in the game, grabbing 11.9 boards a night, two of which are offensive rebounds.
This Cleveland Cavaliers team is special, and while they won’t finish the season undefeated, this start to the campaign doesn’t feel like a fluke.
NEXT: Analyst Believes The Cavs Are In For A Special Season
