Putting Cavs season into proper context isn’t easy, given recent playoff history | Opinion
CLEVELAND — The 2025-26 NBA regular season will present challenges for the Cavaliers, their fans and media members who cover the franchise.
Cavs players and brass have accurately stated nothing the club can achieve during its 82-game schedule will really matter because playoff success — or lack thereof — is going to be the true gauge for everyone involved.
So, with the Cavs defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 118-113 in Cleveland’s regular-season home opener Oct. 26 at Rocket Arena, have you asked yourself how you’ll process Northeast Ohio’s latest professional basketball marathon?
Are you saying, “Wake me up in April?”
Are you determined to be invested in the entire journey?
Are you somewhere in the middle between the two extremes?
There is no wrong answer. And regardless of the approach, putting the regular season into the proper context isn’t going to be easy. It’s irrelevant in some ways but not in others.
Cavs hope to halt trend of early playoff elimination
The Cavs reached the pinnacle of the regular season in 2024-25, securing the second-best record in team history (64-18) and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Yet, we all know how the movie ended — another early playoff exit, most recently with a 4-1 series defeat to the Indiana Pacers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals, otherwise known as the second round.
In the NBA, the regular season and postseason are significantly different. The Cavs have repeatedly proved thriving in one doesn’t guarantee meeting expectations in the other.
Since the Cavs traded for All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell in September 2022, they have been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round once and the second round twice. Mitchell is hell-bent on advancing beyond Round 2, which he has never done despite appearing in the postseason during all eight of his NBA seasons preceding this one.
The case for paying attention to the regular season is it should provide clues as to why the Cavs — and Mitchell — will or will not finally get over the second-round hump.
The Cavs (2-1) don’t need the East’s top seed again, but they do need to develop and establish habits conducive to flourishing in the playoffs.
Coach Kenny Atkinson keeping his players collectively engaged enough to consistently maximize regular-season opportunities may be a difficult task. When training camp began, Atkinson reminded them they have gone a combined 11-15 in the past three postseasons, underscoring the importance of preparing themselves in different and better ways.
The tweaks with which Atkinson is experimenting are on both ends of the floor and largely tied to pace. The Cavs want to reach what they call “the scoring zone” quicker. Their definition for the area is roughly 35 feet from the basket.
Cleveland’s goal on defense is to apply pressure farther up the court to prevent opponents from reaching “the scoring zone” quickly. Big men moving father away from the basket to aid at the point of attack is another wrinkle. An unintended consequence is rebounding trouble. The Cavs had problems in the first two games but earned a 44-37 edge in rebounding against the Bucks (2-1).
Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley lead Cavaliers to win over Bucks in Cleveland’s regular-season home opener
The next step in Evan Mobley’s evolution on offense is another huge emphasis. He’s increasing his usage and basically playing part-time point forward. There will be growing pains, yet the Cavs are committed to continuing to elevate Mobley on the heels of his first All-Star, second-team All-NBA and NBA Defensive Player of the Year season. Their path to a championship would become less cluttered if he were to become Cleveland’s best player. Right now, the title still belongs to Mitchell, a six-time All-Star and first-team All-NBA selection last season.
Mitchell led the Cavs with 24 points against the Bucks. Mobley scored 23 points and made six free throws in the final 15.1 seconds to seal Cleveland’s victory.
The Cavs will try to balance managing minutes in the name of limiting injuries with ensuring the team is properly conditioned for the intensity of the playoffs. In May, the Pacers exposed the Cavs’ inability to handle full-court pressure and elite pace. Of course, the Cavs need to be healthy. They need to be physically and mentally ready for the postseason fire, too.
With point guard Darius Garland (toe surgery) and small forward Max Strus (foot surgery) sidelined and wing De’Andre Hunter (knee contusion) missing the first two games before scoring 16 points in his 2025-26 regular-season debut against the Bucks, the Cavs have already been forced to navigate obstacles.
Guess what, though? The Cavs could use a decent dose of adversity before the playoffs. Although there were some hurdles they needed to clear last season, the Cavs began the Atkinson era 15-0 and had a mostly smooth-sailing experience. It extended to the first round of the playoffs when they swept the Miami Heat. Then the Pacers and injuries smacked the Cavs with a harsh reality. Cleveland never recovered.
Again, if you want to hit the snooze button on the Cavs in the regular season, it’s your right. It’s even understandable. On the other hand, there’s a case for caring about how the sausage is made before the most meaningful portion of the NBA calendar arrives.
From a big-picture perspective, the Cavs are your best bet for enjoyment among Cleveland’s major pro teams. They’re likable. They’re legitimately good and trying to ascend to greatness. The same can be said about the Guardians, but their ownership doesn’t spend to contend the way Dan Gilbert does. As for the Browns, they are not even worth consideration.
The bottom line is Cavs are back, giving rise to this question: How will you process the next five and a half months?
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
