We’ve officially reached the midpoint of the NBA season.
Notably, the Cleveland Cavaliers have an outstanding 35-6 record.
They’re officially on pace to win 70 games.
Needless to say, that’s something not even the most optimistic Cavaliers fans hoped for in their wildest dreams.
That’s why, even though they still have half a season of basketball left to play, both Kenny Atkinson and Darius Garland agree that the team deserves an A+ grade so far:
“Kenny gave us an A-plus and I’m going to give us an A-plus as well,” Garland said following the 124-117 win. “With our record, the way we’ve been playing together and just holding up as a unit, guys have been active and haven’t missed a ton of games, which has been helping us a lot, especially with our starting five getting games under our belt and playing with one another. The last couple of years, it hasn’t been like that.”
Hiring Atkinson has proven to be the right decision.
He maintained the team’s strong defensive identity and mindset from the J.B. Bickerstaff era while elevating its offense to a new level.
The Cavs are the most efficient team in the league, shooting the ball at the highest clip both overall and from beyond the arc.
Evan Mobley has expanded his range and is finally taking shots from long distance.
He’s also become a much more efficient ball-handler.
Darius Garland has been way more aggressive in getting to his spots as a scorer, but he remains a pass-first kind of point guard.
Donovan Mitchell is still the leader of the team, but they don’t need him to do all the heavy lifting night and night out like in times past.
On the other hand, Jarrett Allen continues to be the team’s unsung hero and defensive anchor down low.
And with a deep bench full of players who know and embrace this role, it’s hard to think this team won’t be able to keep this strong momentum going for the remainder of the season.
NEXT: Donovan Mitchell Calls Out Fan Who Wished Them Bad Luck On Saturday
