The Land Before Time: Cavs Pre-Game Thoughts
October 29, 2025 vs Boston
It is so refreshing to have the regular cadence of an NBA season back in our lives. The NBA season may have the ideal tempo for fans. Baseball is nice to have every day during those long summer nights, but it can also be a slog. Football comes once a week. The NBA has the sweet spot right in between those two, and as a fan I love having a few nights per week where I can tune in, but without the stress of having to do so every night (though it is fun to peruse League Pass and find fun teams to watch).
Anyway, the Cavs’ season is off and rolling, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s business as usual for the Wine and Gold. There will always be perils of making bold declarations about a team after only four games, but I feel confident in my feeling that, at least for now, this season appears to be a continuation of last season in many ways. That doesn’t mean this team is destined for another crash out in the playoffs, and it certainly doesn’t mean that there isn’t the opportunity for growth. Key pieces are still not playing, key additions are still learning how to mesh, and young players are still learning how to play winning NBA basketball. Things may change, but I’m happy to report that business is still as usual for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the short season so far, the Cavs have won games against top NBA talent (Giannis and the Bucks), and won games in blowout fashion like fans became accustomed to last season (it’s always fun to lambast Detroit). They lost a tough one on the road in New York, and were up and down against abysmal Brooklyn, all adding up to a 3-1 record and on pace to be right where they need to be come playoff time.
Looking at the small sample of stats, the Cavs’ defense is locked in and playing at the high level we expect, while the offense is not quite in full gear. The Cavs’ team defense currently ranks 6th in defensive rating, 3rd in steals, and in the top 5 in opponent 2nd chance points, opponent fast break points, and opponent points in the paint. Meanwhile, the offense is currently right in the middle of the NBA, ranked 14th in offensive rating at 114.1. This is down significantly from last season’s NBA best 121.0 offensive rating, but given the missing pieces, small sample size, and new faces on the bench, there is no cause for concern there. In Detroit on Monday, they still demonstrated that opposing teams are very much still in danger of Cavalanches.
All in all, I am very pleased with the start to this season. I cannot wait for DG and Max Strus to return, and to see how Lonzo Ball settles in. If all goes well with those three, the Cavs’ offense may have an engine that is hard to slow down over 48 minutes. Sam Merrill looks like a serious threat for 6th man of the Year contention (Get Well Soon, Sammy Buckets!). Evan Mobley is still learning how to consistently conduct an NBA offense. Meanwhile, the Cavs’ defense is looking as consistent as ever, and through four games has improved upon its defensive rating from last year (111.8 down to 107.9). The Cavs are already playing winning basketball, and while the floor for this team remains very high, the ceiling may not even be in sight.
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