The Eastern Conference is fast approaching, and sports fans are starting to root for their favorite teams to come out victorious. One such team hoping for a triumphant season is the Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ve had a tumultuous past, with many highs and lows, but there have been whispers that this will be their year.
A Brief History of the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, also known as the Cavs, have been a member of the Eastern Conference Central Division of the National Basketball Association since 1970. They began as an expansion team, and did not see much success in their initial years; the highest they placed was sixth in their first five seasons, and they lost their first fifteen games.
The Cavaliers have had an interesting game history. It seemed that their fortunes changed in 1976, where they made it to the Eastern Conference finals and won their first Central Division title. However, after this, in the years between 1981 and 1983, they suffered a losing streak of 24 games.
In total, the Cleveland Cavaliers have had 23 playoff appearances, and won one NBA title, five Eastern Conference titles, and seven Central Division titles.
Eastern Conference Predictions
The 2023-24 NBA season will begin towards the end of October and carry through until April of next year. Experts have been sharing their thoughts on the lineup and what it might mean for upcoming games.
At the moment, many sportsbooks and sports analysts have named the top five teams with the highest chance of winning as being the Boston Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and none other than the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are co-favorites at this point, with the Celtics being one of the most successful NBA teams throughout history. The team even holds the current record for the highest number of wins by any team in the National Basketball Association. The Bucks are also a formidable team, having won countless championships and titles, and being the only ones to have won both an Eastern and Western Conference championship.
There are some questions over the diversity of the backcourt, made up of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, as both players boast similar strengths (and weaknesses). However, the frontcourt makes up for it, with rising star Evan Mobley. Fans are wasting no time in placing bets, and luckily when it comes to sports betting, all options in Ohio are available, from online sportsbooks to kiosks and retail locations.
The Cavs are set to take part in one of the only international NBA games of the season, hosted at the Accor Arena in Paris. They will compete against the Brooklyn Nets. This will be the first game that the team have ever played in Europe, and is a big moment for them to gain international recognition. The Brooklyn Nets are a strong team, so the Cleveland Cavaliers will have to pull out all the stops if they want to triumph in Paris.
It is no secret that the Cavaliers have struggled in the past few seasons, but head coach J.B. Bickerstaff seems committed to turning the luck of the team around. Along with new signings, the focus has been on addressing weaknesses and strengthening the qualities that the Cavs are known for. One such weakness is the lack of energy needed to carry the team through losses, with both sports commentators and fans noticing their embarrassment and shift in attitude when challenged. With the upgraded lineup, this may change in the upcoming season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Track Record
Before making any judgments about their performance in the 2023-24 Eastern Conference, it’s key to look back at the track record of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since 1970, the team have played in 53 seasons, and have had a winning record 25 times.
The most impressive moments from their record include 23 playoff appearances, during which time they won the Eastern Conference championship five times, the Central Division championship seven times, and the NBA championship once, in 2016.
Perhaps the highlight of the professional history of the Cavs is the 11 seasons that LeBron James played for them. In his time, he won Rookie of the Year in 2004, Scoring Champion in 2008, NBA Champion and Finals MVP in 2016, three-time All-Star Game MVP, and two-time NBA MVP.
New Signings
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been working hard this year to up their game and bring in some exciting new names to their lineup. Amongst others, they have brought in Damian Jones, Ty Jerome, Pete Nance, Justin Powell, Georges Niang, Zhaire Smith, Sharife Cooper, Max Strus, and Tristan Thompson.
Thompson was previously with the Cavs for nine seasons, so it is a welcome return for many. He is known to be an excellent defender, and is well known for its relentless and tough attitude – which may be just what the team needs right now.
Although some are happy with Thompson’s return, it could spell trouble for Damian Jones, who was only acquired in July of this year from the Utah Jazz. Jones has a lot of potential, but has struggled since joining. If he wants to keep his place with the Cavaliers, he’ll need to work on aiding on the glass and with defensive stretches.
Ty Jerome was signed this July as the newest point guard for the Cavs. Although scoring is an important part of basketball, so too is distributing the ball and managing the court – which is where Jerome comes in. His assist numbers are great, averaging 3.0 a night last season, and only turning over the ball less than once per game.
There are also some promising resigns on the team. Sharife Cooper joined the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the 2023 NBA Summer League, and earlier this month signed for the 2023-24 season. During the Summer League, which took place in Las Vegas, he appeared in four games, and helped the Cavs to win their first championship in the League.