The Cleveland Cavaliers just won their best game of the season.
It looked like they were in for a very, very long night, but they stormed back from a 22-point deficit to defeat the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics.
Asked about the win, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson tipped his hat to Donovan Mitchell.
“Our leadership, Donovan especially. He never gets too high or too low. He just kept us even,” Atkinson said, via NBA on X.
Cavs HC Kenny Atkinson credits @spidadmitchell for his leadership to keep the Cavs resilient 💪
Mitchell finished with 41 and helped secure a 22-point comeback victory! pic.twitter.com/1OF1XsJga8
— NBA (@NBA) March 1, 2025
The coach also gushed about his team’s resiliency.
Losing this game, especially if it was a blowout, could’ve been dangerous.
Not only would it have dropped their record against the Celtics to 1-3 this season, but it would’ve also sent the wrong message ahead about a potential postseason series.
This kind of comeback win was a massive statement in the biggest moment of the regular season.
The Cavs tightened up on defense and showed they could match up with the Celtics’ plethora of offensive options, and they proved that no deficit is big enough to keep them out of any game.
Cleveland clearly put an emphasis on showing pride and not letting Boston bully them.
The Cavaliers have been the best team in the league this season, even better than the defending champs.
They have to feel quite good about themselves ahead of a potential meeting in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals.
Their doubters should be quite silent.
This team is for real, and they’re just getting started.
NEXT: Stats Show How Donovan Mitchell Has Dominated Against Celtics
