Alright. So back in 2019, when I was thirteen, I ed a video absolutely trashing the Cavaliers. It was right after LeBron dipped for L.A., and that team looked like a corpse with a basketball. I went in. Like hard. That video? Gone.
Scrubbed. Because even I knew it was garbage.
But this… this is the follow-up.
Because six years later, the Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the scariest damn teams in the league.
And I’m not gonna lie—it pisses me off.
Part 1: When They Were a Joke?
Let’s rewind. The year is 2019. Tristan Thompson was still there. Kevin Love was held hostage. Collin Sexton was the Cavs’ best player—and half the time it looked like he was playing one-on-five. That team had zero direction.
They were the NBA equivalent of a confused freshman wandering into a senior-level physics class.
No LeBron. No identity. No clue.
And now?
Part 2: This Team Figured Sh*t Out
Let’s break it down. Because this isn’t just “oh they got good players now.”
No. This is strategic. Calculated. Painfully well built.
1. That Offense is a Machine
This Cavs offense? It flies. They’re leading the league in points per 100 possessions.
You know how hard it is to be that efficient while still playing fast? They’re getting shots up quick, making defenders scramble like they’re in a damn fire drill.
Mobley’s grown into a serious offensive threat in the paint. Like, bro had no bag when he entered the league. Now? Soft touch. Better footwork.
Scoring off movement. You can’t blink or he’s got 15.
And the spacing is beautiful. They’re top tier in 3-point percentage.
Why? Because their drive-and-kick game is nasty. Darius Garland gets downhill, draws the defense, whips it out—bam, open look. Donovan Mitchell is out here breaking ankles like it’s his religion.
2. Defense Wins Championships, Right?
Mobley and Jarrett Allen are out here building a brick wall in the paint.
I swear, trying to score inside against them is like running into airport security with 14 metal objects in your pocket. You’re getting stopped fast.
They’re swatting shots, clogging driving lanes, and cleaning the glass.
The Cavs have let eight straight teams score under 107. In today’s league? That’s wild.
That’s elite rim protection. Full stop.
3. Kenny Freakin’ Atkinson
Let’s talk coaching. Kenny Atkinson has done what so many teams can’t—he got everyone to buy in.
The movement? Gorgeous.
The cutting? Sharp.
The ball movement? Constant.
It’s not just “give it to Mitchell and pray.” This isn’t Luka-ball. This is organized chaos. They have purpose. And every guy knows his role.
And speaking of that...
4. The Role Players Actually Show the F*ck Up
You know how annoying it is to watch your own team (cough Sixers) have a bench that’s allergic to doing anything right?
And then the Cavs roll out Sam Merrill—SAM MERRILL—and he hits five threes like it’s nothing?
Dean Wade, Isaac Okoro, Caris LeVert off the bench? They’re not just plugging holes. They’re building a goddamn submarine. The depth is real.
No dead weight. Every guy adds something.
Part 3: So What Now?
I hate to say it. I really do.
But if there’s one team primed to break through this postseason, it’s probably Cleveland.
Do I want it to happen? No. I’m a Sixers fan. I’m on the couch watching this from basketball purgatory while Embiid rehabs his 34th knee injury and Paul George still somehow collects a paycheck.
But am I gonna lie and act like the Cavs aren’t terrifying right now?
Hell no.
Final Thoughts:
Cleveland went from LeBron’s abandoned house party to one of the best-built teams in the league.
They got the star power. The depth. The defense.
The coach. The hunger.
So yeah, consider this my six-year update from that 2019 video:
I was wrong. Painfully wrong.
And it’s driving me absolutely insane.
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