The Cleveland Cavaliers cruised their way through the regular season.
They had the best record in the Eastern Conference from start to finish, and even though they took their foot off the gas down the stretch, they could’ve had the best overall record in the league as well.
Then, once they swept the Miami Heat in the first round, it seemed like they were ready to prove the doubters wrong and demonstrate that they were a hungry team.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, and they could only get one game from the Indiana Pacers.
Notably, as disappointing as that may be, Tristan Thompson actually believes it’s a blessing in disguise.
Talking to the media, the veteran PF/C warned the rest of the league about the 2025-26 Cavs, arguing that they will be hungrier and more determined than ever next season:
“Guys will be hungry,” NBA champion Tristan Thompson said. “I know guys are p*****. They’re angry. They’re upset. I think guys will be super motivated this summer. It’s going to make us very dangerous. You got to starve before you eat. Got some hungry m—f—.”
That makes sense, and we’ve seen teams go through some big struggles before getting the monkey off their backs.
Nevertheless, it’s not like the Cavs haven’t gone through the same over and over every single year, and they shouldn’t have to go through this to find motivation and fuel the fire within them.
Granted, this time was different and even more painful because they were the No. 1 seed and a championship contender.
But at the end of the day, it’s hard to give them the benefit of the doubt when the outcome is always the same regardless of the coach.
It’s not like you can’t lose; anybody can lose in the NBA, but you just can’t give up.
NEXT: Max Strus Reveals Harsh Reality For Cavs' Offseason
