The excitement is back in Northeast Ohio, as the Cleveland Cavaliers are hot.
They have an 8-2 record, which puts them in second place in the Eastern Conference and also gives them the second-best record in the entire NBA.
Cleveland, as it did last season, is getting things done on the defensive end, as it ranks second in defensive rating, but it also ranks fourth in offensive rating and is seventh in points per game.
What has happened so far has made Cavs fans believe their team can compete for the world championship this season.
But are the Cavs really that good, or will there be some considerable growing pains up ahead?
Cleveland Has Had A Relatively Easy Schedule So Far
Although Donovan Mitchell and crew have defeated the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics twice already, it hasn’t defeated any other teams that are currently over .500.
The Cavs schedule will start getting tougher as November wears on, as they will play teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Getting off to a very strong start, as they have, is one thing, but maintaining one of the league’s best records into the new year, let alone into March and April, is a whole different animal, especially for such a young team.
The Cavs Still Need Some Developing
For Cleveland to become a true title contender, it needs more development from its young players, particularly Evan Mobley.
At this stage of his career, he is a very good rim protector and finisher near the basket, and he has become scary on the defensive end.
⛔ Evan Mobley had the paint ON LOCK, blocking 8 shots in the @cavs win! #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/zudKlpfTTQ
— NBA (@NBA) November 5, 2022
However, he hasn’t become worthy of being a main offensive option yet, and in addition, his rebounding has dipped from 8.3 a game last year to 6.6 a game this year.
Once Mobley starts tapping into his immense potential on the offensive end, the Cavs will become a truly special team and perhaps an NBA fixture in late May and June.
NEXT: Are The Cavs The Team To Beat In The East?